Few signatures in British furniture are as instantly recognisable as the tiny carved mouse that scurries across the work of Robert “Mouseman” Thompson. For collectors and enthusiasts, spotting that small creature is a moment of delight and a sign of craft rooted in one of the most influential design movements of the 20th century.
The Robert Thompson workshop was established in the North Yorkshire village of Kilburn in the 1920s. Thompson was part of the great revival of skill and workmanship that swept Britain at the time, inspired by the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement championed by William Morris, John Ruskin and Thomas Carlyle. Rejecting industrial mass production, the movement celebrated skilled handwork. Working primarily in solid English oak and using traditional techniques, Thompson and his craftsmen produced furniture of remarkable character and quality.
Each piece was finished with the workshop’s now-famous carved mouse. What began with commissions for churches and schools soon expanded to private homes, and the workshop quickly built a loyal following that continues today among collectors across the world.
At Lawrences Auctioneers, “Mouseman” pieces have generated considerable interest in the saleroom. In 2019, a world-record price for a pair of 1930s Mouseman ‘Elephant’ bookends, which sold for £10,000.
Our April 20th Century Art & Design Sale now offers another opportunity for collectors, featuring a small private collection of Mouseman furniture. Highlights include a handsome oak sideboard (estimate £2,000-£3,000), a bureau (£1,500-£2,000), a charming pair of ‘triple mice’ bookends (£1,500-£2,000), and two stools (each estimated at £200-£300).
We look forward to welcoming online bidding. The online sale will end on the 17th April.
Do you have a watch or work of art you’d like to consign to Lawrences Auctioneers? Contact one of the specialists for a complimentary valuation ahead of their forthcoming sales.
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