A Family Reunion- Notes on the Gallet Collection

Maria Auboeck, 2024 03 01

The Auboeck workshop in Vienna has been producing high-quality objects for everyday use over 120 years. 

Of this source, the Gallet collection (located in Uniontown PA, USA and Vienna, Austria) provides insight in 3 generations of design work and is a true cornerstone of documentation of this production´s history today.

Originally non-ferrous metal, like brass, bronze and copper were worked here.

From the 1930s onwards other materials like leather, wood and horn were combined with the metal objects and offer an additional charm to these vintage objects. 

In the Gallet collection all objects were in constant use or show within the family, which can be felt in their ‘time and use’ patina. 

Karl Heinrich Auböck I (1872-1925) created several collection series making use of ornaments f. i. art nouveau style, Oriental ornaments inspired by medieval and Arabic styles and three dimensional animal sculptures in bronze-like ice bears and elephants. His wife Elise was an active member of the workshop, the heavy animal sculptures were used by her as doorstops in the workshop on hot days. In the Gallet collection in Vienna a delightful group of elephants sit on Onyx tops of cigarette cassettes and matchbox holders, maybe an early collection´s idea. Moreso there are ink wells and side tables showing elephant motifs. Unfortunately, of this early phase (around 1906-1920) no company catalogue exists, but exhibition catalogues at the museum of applied arts Vienna document the workshops  participation in handicraft shows. Carl Auboeck II (1900-57) initiated after his return from studying at the Bauhaus in Weimar and a short internship in Florence/Tuscany and Mohelnice/Moldavia in 1922 a quite different body of work in his designs for the Auboeck collection, including large sculptures like the dog carved from wood that is part of the Gallet collection in Uniontown. He created very innovative and artistic objects, strong in their sculptural appearance. 

These items are documented in a number of handwritten catalogues, which show sketches of his objects and prices aside. For this the workshop received international success by contributions to world exhibitions in Chicago and Paris, participations in handicraft fairs- and 1934 he won a medal  from the Vienna Handicraft Club. The workshop continued their international business activities, even some years into 2nd world war and recovered thereafter by joint efforts of the family to improve the workshop´s activities. 

New ideas for the collection appeared with the rather short cooperation with his son Carl Auboeck III (1924-93) and his wife Justine in the late Fifties. These objects are represented in the interior fotos of the Gallet home in Uniontown and some of the are part of the Gallet collection today. Lamps and sidetables, stainless flatware and Bottle openers, formed a continous line of wide productivity which is carried on now by his son Carl IV and granddaughter Zola.

The Gallet collection represents a quite impressive selection of design attitudes at the Auboeck workshop in Vienna. The well-prepared website by Ken Greep offers a good overview of the spirit of this 20th century style collection- including f. i. the elephant series.