Designer: Carl Auböck III (1924 – 1993)

Item: Carving set Models 5229 and 5742

Manufactured by: Amboss Neuzeughammer Austria and Werkstätte Carl Auböck

Country of origin: Austria

Year made: 1960

Materials: Stainless Steel, Turkish Walnut and Brass. Original wood box with original leather closing straps.

Dimensions: Long carving knife ¼” x 14” x 1”, broad blade knife 3/8” x 12 ¾” x 1 ¼” and fork ¼” x 11 ¼” x 1”. Box is 1 ½” x 15” x 4 ½”

Condition: Mint and unused. The long carving knife has a very slight impression at the tip of the blade from rubbing the inside of the box and its handle has a very minor age split from shrinkage. This set was never used.

References: Auböck, Carl IV, die kataloge der werkstätte carl auböck (1925 - 2016) – 1975, Carl Auböck Archive (2005) page G/21. Kusmamy, Marion and Aubock, Carl; Carl Auböck Architekt (1924-1993); Design for Living Verlag Anton Pustet (2014).

Description: Here is a rare original carving set designed by Carl Auböck III in 1960. Although this set was designed for regular production, it is rarely found. This set is of exceptional craftsmanship and construction in keeping with the very high production standards of the Werkstätte. Auböck III designed several knives and other cutlery all of which have become design classics and are now highly collectable. The pieces of this carving set are pictured in the 1974 Auböck trade catalog on page 18 that shows the three pieces (set 5229 and single long carving knife model 5742) sitting on top of a wood carving board model 4711. According to the catalog description, the fork and broad blade knife set are listed as model 5229 with wooden box, and the long carving knife is model 5742 with wooden box. A photo from another trade catalog shows this exact full set in its box, which is also reproduced on page 229 of the book Carl Auböck Architekt (1924-1993); Design for Living reprinted from an early trade catalog.

We acquired this set from the heirs of a woman who traveled frequently to Vienna, Austria in the 1960s and 70s for work and often returned with fine objects purchased there. The family advised this set was brought home by their mother, put away and never used, and its mint condition demonstrates that. This may be one of the only only surviving mint examples of this set ever to come to market. The few other examples of this set we have seen were just the fork and carving knife and in very used and/or somewhat distressed condition. This set is worthy of any major museum’s modern design collection.

The knives bear the Amboss name and manufacturer marks as shown. Amboss Neuzeug Made in Austria Stainless Amboss Rostfrei Austria Stainless. Although most of the knives designed by Auböck and produced by Amboss bear the Auböck name on the blade, the marks on this set are the same as the knives on the famous Maestro 2060 stainless flatware set and the fondue forks and some other stainless objects also designed by Auböck and produced by Amboss that do not bear his name. The fork is unmarked, most likely as issued.