Carl Auböck wastebasket

This wastebasket was designed by Carl Auböck and produced in Austria, around 1950s. It is a functional object that demonstrates the hallmarks of Auböck’s design ethos—combining artisanal materials, utilitarian form, and a sense of modern refinement. The wastebasket is constructed from thick, vegetable-tanned leather in a warm cognac tone, with visible wear and patination that reflect both age and use. The leather body is hand-stitched along the upper and lower edges, emphasizing its crafted character.

The cylindrical shape of the wastebasket slightly tapers toward the base, giving it a poised and balanced silhouette. Two brass ring handles are affixed on opposite sides, mounted on stitched leather straps. These rings have developed a natural patina, adding to the overall material richness. The interior shows signs of heavy usage, with markings and darkening of the leather consistent with its function over time. The contrast between the stitched precision and the organic traces of wear imbues the piece with a sense of authenticity and quiet elegance.

Carl Auböck (1900–1957) was part of a lineage of Austrian designers and craftsmen based in Vienna. Trained as a sculptor and influenced by the Bauhaus during his time in Germany, Auböck returned to Austria to take over his family’s workshop. The Wiener Werkstätte tradition of material rigor and hand production remained central to his output, but his designs veered into modernist minimalism. Auböck’s studio gained international recognition in the 1940s and 1950s for small-scale functional objects—ranging from desk accessories to homewares—crafted in brass, leather, and wood.