A mouse within the house is normally an undesirable scenario, nonetheless, the mice on the Mouseman furnishings are a wished fixture in lots of properties.
Robert Thompson (1876-1955) was born in Kilburn, North Yorkshire, the place he took over his household’s carpentry enterprise. Robert, a really expert craftsman, most popular conventional methods to create his furnishings. His enterprise was standard and wanted for a lot of commissions, significantly for ecclesiastical furnishings. That is how he stumbled upon his trademark. The only real motive for the mouse being Robert’s signature is as a result of when making the fittings for Ampleforth Abbey, a carver he was working with had talked about ‘Being as poor as church mice’, which led to Robert carving a small mouse into the wooden they have been carving throughout lunch.
This sparked one thing in Robert. A carved mouse quickly grew to become his trademark that includes in all of his future furnishings. It’s stated that the mouse represents ‘business in quiet locations’. The moniker is normally hidden and carved within the corners or crevices of his work, similar to on the legs of tables or the perimeters of pews.
Mouseman Design
The Arts and Crafts revival motion was sweeping the nation across the time Thompson was creating his personal type, as may be obvious in his work with the detailing and great thing about the gadgets produced, together with the duality of it additionally being sturdy and well-made.
In the course of the time of his carpentry, newer equipment was out there to make use of, nonetheless Thomspon refused such instruments as he most popular the standard methods. One of many conventional instruments was an ‘adze’. That is nonetheless used to this present day to create the polished end the model is thought for creating. An adze is a flexible device, that has been used for 1000’s of years to create and carve the wooden.
The oak utilized in Mouseman’s workshop is seasoned for 5 to eight years earlier than it’s carved into something. This ensures the longevity of the product can final generations.
These key parts are what make the Mouseman merchandise value their cash – they final. This is the reason the workshop flourished in the best way it did, with fee after fee, gaining in reputation.
Mouseman Critters
Among the apprentices who labored beneath Robert have been impressed to create their emblems. Re-imagining themselves as their companies and designs. These makers are often known as The Yorkshire Critters.
Straightforward to identify, every has its moniker that normally ends with ‘man’ like Mouseman. Examples embrace Bob ‘Wrenman’ Hunter, Colin ‘Braverman’ Almack and Malcolm ‘Foxman’ Pipes. They’re all nonetheless extremely wanted due to the abilities and methods they’ve learnt beneath Robert.
Trendy Acclaim
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson has created a legacy that won’t be examined with fashionable invention. The high-quality oak and craftmanship is closely wanted, with a record-breaking value of £70,000 for a Mouseman piece being auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York.
Thompson’s designs are nonetheless celebrated for his or her ingenuity and are nonetheless held to excessive acclaim to this present day, complementing any residence with such furnishings wares.
Mouseman in Public sale
Lot 44
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson oak cheeseboard
Estimate: £70 – £100
Lot 45
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson horseshoe pin dish
Estimate: £100 – £150
Lot 46
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson carved ashtray
Estimate: £70 – £100
Lot 47
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson carved bookends
Estimate: £120 – £180
Lot 48
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson carved ashtray
Estimate: £70 – £100
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Chloe Hartley | Junior Cataloguer, Silver & Collectables
