Designer: Carl Auböck III (1924 – 1993)

Item: Fish (Neptune) Bottle Opener Model No. 4687

Manufactured by: Amboss Neuzeughammer Werkstätte Carl Auböck

Country of origin: Austria

Year made: 1950s to 1960s

Materials: Stainless Steel and Cane

Dimensions: 9 ½” x 1 ½” x 3/8”

Condition: Very good to excellent. It is very hard to find these with all the cane fully intact. Since these were used as bar tools the moisture in that environment often caused the cane to rot, or it dried out and broke. There is one small spot of darkening and one spot where the cane broke but is stable and very hard to see.

References: Kois, Clemens, Carl Auböck: The Workshop, Powerhouse Books, (2012); Wright Auction Catalog; The Workshop: Carl Auböck Designs 1930-1980, (2016); Auböck, Carl IV, die kataloge der werkstätte carl auböck 1925 - 1975, Carl Auböck Archive (2005); Auböck, Carl IV, die arbeiten der werkstätte carl auböck fotografiert von 1948 - 2005, Carl Auböck Archive (2009); Kuzmany, Marion, Auböck 1924 - 1993 Architect: Design for Modern Living, Verlang Anton Pustet (2009).

Description: Here is another iconic Carl Auböck III design in the harder to find cane wrapped version. The Neptune openers were manufactured with several different handle wraps, including wood, leather, horn and cane, with the cane and horn being the most desirable and hardest to find. The first series had the steel produced by Amboss Neuzeughammer Austria and the cane wrapped handles were crafted by hand in the Werkstätte Carl Auböck. This is a first series production with the Auböck name with the Amboss and the anvil symbol acid etched on one side and "Stainless Austria" impressed on the other side.

These openers are becoming quite collectable, especially the cane and horn versions and based on some recent auction action it seems the prices for these are rising quickly. Shop around on the internet and you will see many dealers asking considerably more than our asking price.