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Robert Thompson - Mouseman

Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson (1876-1955) was craftsman and furniture maker from North Yorkshire who famously used a carved mouse as his makers’ mark. The son a carpenter, he greatly expanded the family business and by the time he registered the mouse as his trademark in the 1930s, he had 30 men working for him.

Mouseman furniture is characterised by mortise and tenon joints dowelled for strength and the use of the adze as a tool for shaping and smoothing gave the surfaces of his furniture its distinctive rippled appearance.

Mouseman’s homely charm provides comfort

15 April 2019

More homely than the material being produced in Scandinavia and France, the adzed oak furniture first made by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson in the 1920s-30s was, nevertheless, a distinctive genre.

No sign of Mouseman demand tailing off

21 December 2018

Never out of fashion, the best furniture by Robert Thompson is going through one of its periodic surges – as evident at Wilkinson’s Doncaster rooms last month (ATG No 2369) and at Sworders of Stansted Mountfichet (ATG No 2363) in October.

Pick of the Week: Rare 1920s Robert Thompson dining suite with early features shines at Doncaster sale

03 December 2018

Capping a vintage year for prime-period Mouseman furniture, a dining suite attracted huge interest when offered for sale in Yorkshire recently.

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.

Mother Superior Mouseman

11 January 2010

AS part of a decision to downsize, St Joseph's Convent at Haunton in Staffordshire sold the remainder of their collection of oak furniture and accessories by Robert Thompson (1876-1955) at Richard Winterton of Lichfield.

The Mouseman’s school days

09 August 2008

North Yorkshire auctioneers Tennants have cut a profitable niche selling the furniture of local craftsman Robert Thompson, but for their July sale they went one better.

The Mouseman roars again

24 August 2004

JUNE was a busy month for Wellers (15% buyer's premium) who hosted an 819-lot antique sale on June 12 in addition to a 4000-lot two-day architectural auction held off the premises at Enfield’s Reclaim Centre on June 11-12.

The mouse roars in New York…

23 January 2004

Even if the buying power of Americans is not so much in evidence in Europe in some quarters these days, they appear much less reluctant to flex their financial muscles in their own back yard. This seems to be particularly true when it comes to decorative arts.

Hargesheimer: Russian Art & Greek Icons; 14 May 2019 - 23:00 PM
Wellington Auctions: Medals & Militaria (online); 04 Jun 2019 - 10:00 AM
Waddington's: Asian Art (online); 15 Jun 2019 - 00:00 AM
Barsby Auctions: Jewellery, Art, Coins, Antiquarian Books, Ceramic, Furniture & Oriental Art; 15 Jun 2019 - 10:00 AM
Westenhanger Auction Galleries: Antiques, Collectables, Wines, Spirits & Jewellery; 16 Jun 2019 - 11:00 AM
London Auctions: Interiors, Antiques & Collectables; 16 Jun 2019 - 12:00 PM

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