Designer: Carl Auböck II (1900 – 1957) and Michaela Frey Aichberger (died 1980)

Item: Small dish or tray

Manufactured by: Werkstätte Carl Auböck

Country of origin: Austria

Year made: 1950s

Materials: Brass and enamel on copper plate attached to bottom

Dimensions: 1” x 4” x 4”

Condition: Excellent.

References: Auböck, Carl IV, die arbeiten der Werkstätte carl auböck – fotografiert von 1948 – 2005, Carl Auböck Archive (2009).

Description: This is an extremely rare decorative dish or tray that was an artistic collaboration between Carl Auböck II and another Viennese artist Michaela Frey Aichberger, also known as Michaela Frey best known for her enamel jewelry, such as brooches and bracelets. Frey opened her workshop in Vienna in 1951 and became well known and did designs for and sold her work through Hermes, as did Auböck. After her death, the workshop renamed Freywille began producing works by other well-known artists such as Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

These dishes were also sold as wall mounted plaques were enameled with the signs of the zodiac and very few were made. A photograph of Auböck’s uncle’s residence can be found on page VIII/06 of the Archives with several of these trays on display. The Werkstätte Carl Auböck provided us information about the collaboration between Auböck and Frey Aichberger, because there is no information in the Archive books other than that single photo.