Paperweight “Egg” – Polished Brass

As simple as it may appear at first glance, the “Egg” is one of Carl Auböck’s best-known and most characteristic designs. Carl Auböck II developed the paperweight in the early 1950s, reducing the object to an almost archetypal form.

The Egg forms part of the famous four-piece “Walter Gropius” Set, together with the Hand, Foot and the leather-covered stone. Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus and a friend of Carl Auböck, kept this ensemble on his desk.

The egg shape itself is not accidental. The MAK describes the design as a homage to Constantin Brâncuși’s celebrated sculpture The Beginning of the World from 1924 – a reference that places this small paperweight directly within the context of modern sculpture.

The Egg is made from polished brass and produced in Austria. The use of the original casting mould is part of the traditional manufacturing process. Small scratches, creases or other irregularities may therefore occur on the polished surface. They are not defects, but rather evidence of the handcrafted nature of the object.

With its radically reduced form, the Egg is a perfect example of Auböck’s ability to combine function and sculpture. An ordinary paperweight becomes an independent design object – precise, playful and timeless.

Designer: Carl Auböck II

Designed: 1951

Archive number: #4867

Material: polished brass

Made in: Austria