Richard Rohac ‘Vagabond’ Corkscrew

A figural brass corkscrew designed by Richard Rohac and handmade in Vienna, c.1950. 

This charming corkscrew depicts a travelling musician; a singing male figure with an open mouth and tambourine at his side. Wearing a bowler hat & patches on his knees, the design is officially entitled ‘Vagabond’.

The corkscrew’s figural design is well thought-out, as it does not affect the functionality of the object which fits very comfortably in the hand when in use.

The figure is styled and patinated in a typical Viennese fashion. The city had an exceptional culture of Modernist high-quality brass metalworks during the mid-20th Century, with Rohac, along with contemporaries Walter Bosse and Karl Hagenauer, sharing a playful aesthetic whilst utilising the process of chemical patination, turning the metal objects black.