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Mouseman - Robert Thompson

Mouseman is the sobriquet of Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson (1876-1955), a vernacular furniture maker based in Kilburn, North Yorkshire using traditional construction methods. His pieces are characterised by a small carved mouse ‘signature’.

His furniture spawned a whole school of other Yorkshire vernacular craftsman working in the same vein with similar nicknames including Gnomeman, Squirrelman and Acornman – some of whom started out as Thompson’ apprentices.

Rising market for Mouseman as bookends sell for £10,000

15 July 2019

A rare pair of bookends by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson attracted huge interest and a remarkable £10,000 winning bid at Lawrences of Crewkerne.

Benchmark prices for Horlicks’ ‘prime period’ Mouseman

15 October 2018

The Horlicks collection of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson furniture was sold at Sworders’ auction for £236,000.

Mighty mouse: Horlicks’ Mouseman commission stirs up Essex auction room

10 October 2018

The Horlicks collection of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson furniture was sold at Sworders auction yesterday for £236,000.

Furniture from Mouseman’s major commission for the Horlick’s factory in Slough – one to watch next week

28 September 2018

With a loyal UK collecting base – and a growing number of fans overseas – Mouseman furniture of all periods has a strong following on the secondary market.

Horlicks’ Mouseman furniture comes to auction

25 June 2018

The Horlicks collection of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson furniture will be sold at auction in Stansted Mountfitchet this autumn.

Mighty mouse roars to £5800

04 September 2017

Originally considered just another 20th century burr oak tallboy among a stack of material from a house clearance brought into the Hazel Grove rooms of Maxwells (15% buyer’s premium), opinions changed when a carved mouse was noticed on the lower left leg.

Catching the mouse – twice

18 June 2011

IT is interesting to compare the commercial fortunes of these two similar, but not identical, Mouseman adzed oak sideboards sold at auction in recent weeks.

Mouseman library to be sold in Yorkshire

14 April 2008

NORTH Yorkshire saleroom Tennants, who have made a name selling the furniture of Robert Thompson, have secured an entire Mouseman commission for sale in July.

Specialist spots oak sleeper in garden venture

13 May 2003

A TIMELY debut for a garden and architectural items section at Andrew Hartley's April 9-10 sale (10% buyer's premium) brought in private buyers who usually fire this market but also a specialist who spotted a sleeper – a pair of carved oak corbels, each depicting the head of a cherub over an acanthus leaf and scroll base.

The ungnawn Beaver

06 January 2003

Coming up in Galashiels... The Yorkshire Arts and Crafts cabinetmaker Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson hardly needs an introduction. His distinctive adzed oak furniture, each piece relief-carved with a small mouse, proved so successful that a menagerie of imitators sprang up in the 1950s and ’60s.