Bottle Stopper "Flat Hand" - Polished Brass

A hand keeping an eye – or rather a grip – on the bottle.

The “Flat Hand” bottle stopper was designed by Carl Auböck II in 1952/53 and is one of the particularly characteristic small objects from the Werkstätte Carl Auböck. A flat, outstretched hand in solid polished brass lies horizontally across the neck of the bottle, transforming a functional bottle stopper into a small sculptural design object.

 The form is immediately understandable and yet wonderfully unexpected. A human hand is removed from its original context and reduced to one simple gesture. It appears to hold the bottle in place – a subtle touch of humour that is quintessentially Carl Auböck.

The cork insert provides the actual sealing function, while the polished brass hand becomes the visual and tactile focus. On a dining table or in a modernist home bar, the “Flat Hand” is therefore much more than a practical accessory.

At 117 grams, it also has enough weight to work – with a certain amount of humour – as a small paperweight on a desk. This is naturally not its primary purpose, but the possibility fits perfectly with Auböck’s approach to functional objects.

The “Flat Hand” continues to be produced in Austria, using the historic original casting mould. Small scratches, marks or minor irregularities may therefore occur on the polished surface. These are characteristic of the handcrafted production process and underline the individual character of each piece.

A functional bottle stopper, a small sculpture and – if desired – a rather unusual little paperweight.

Designer: Carl Auböck II

Designed: 1952/53

Archive number: #4220

Material: polished brass; cork

Function: bottle stopper

Made in: Austria