Bottle Stopper "Face" - Patinated Brass

A face for the bottle – this time with characterful patina.

The “FACE” bottle stopper was designed by Carl Auböck II in 1952 and is one of the wonderfully distinctive small objects from the Werkstätte Carl Auböck. Made from solid brass and finished with a patina, it transforms an ordinary bottle stopper into a small sculptural object with unmistakable character.

The stylised face is reduced to a few clear forms, yet remains immediately recognisable as a human expression. This reduction is quintessentially Carl Auböck: the function remains intact, while the everyday object simultaneously becomes an independent piece of design.

The patinated brass surface gives the design a distinctly different character from the polished version. Rather than bright and reflective, the metal appears darker, quieter and almost archaic. The patina emphasises the sculptural form and brings the facial features particularly clearly to the fore.

The stopper naturally performs its original function, securely closing an opened bottle. On a dining table, bar cart or home bar, however, it also becomes a small object of visual interest.

At Contemporum., the patinated version is the darker, quieter alternative to the “FACE” in polished brass.

Designer: Carl Auböck II

Designed: 1952

Archive number: #4682 M

Material: patinated brass

Function: bottle stopper

Made in: Austria