Designer: Carl Auböck III (1924 – 1993)

Item: Cheese knife with cutting board model #4363/1

Manufactured by: Werkstätte Carl Auböck

Country of origin: Austria

Year made: Circa 1950s or 60s

Materials: Turkish Walnut, steel, rattan, and leather

Dimensions: Exterior of the box is 1 ¼” x 9” x 7 ¼”, the cutting board ¾” x 7 ¾” x 6 ½” and the knife 6 ¼” long x ¾” wide.  

Condition: Mint.

References: Auböck, Carl IV, die kataloge der werkstätte carl auböck (1925 - 2016) – 1975, Carl Auböck Archive (2005); Auböck, Carl IV, die arbeiten der Werkstätte carl auböck – fotografiert von 1948 – 2005, Carl Auböck Archive (2009).

Description:  Here is a circa late 1950s or early 1960s rattan (cane) handled cheese knife with its original cutting board in the original box.  The cutting board is stamped “Made in Austria” as shown, and the blade of the knife is marked Auböck and Stainless Made in Austria with the Amboss anvil symbol.   We have seen a number of other examples of this design, but only one other with its original retailing box.  The lid of the box is stamped in ink “Made in Austria Exclusively for Stern’s” of Stern’s Department store.  Stern’s Department Store, was a regional high-end department store chain originally serving New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania that was founded in 1867 in Manhattan. The Stern’s flagship store in New York City closed in 1969, but the firm remained in business in New Jersey until it was acquired by Federated Department Stores in 1994 and folded into its sibling stores, Macy’s and Bloomingdales.  There is a considerable history about the firm found on the Internet.  The box also retains its original Stern’s price sticker of $4.98.