Robert “Mouseman” Thompson furniture is well-known for its traditional styling, excellent build quality and, of course, his ubiquitous carved mouse trademark.
Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson’s trademark carved mouse. (Credit: easyliveauction.com)
Rejecting modern techniques, Thompson championed traditional construction methods, favouring the adze as his tool of choice. Carrying these ideals forward, he built a business that continues to be successfully run by his descendants a century later.
Having always been favoured in his local area of Yorkshire, the popularity of Mouseman pieces is steadily increasing, in line with a growing general interest in 20th Century design. This draws buyers from the south of England, as well as overseas – particularly the Far East and America.
Small Items
Featured in our November 2023 Fine Art auction, this cheese board sold for £320.
Exhibiting the customary quality and character that can be expected of all Mouseman pieces, and exhibiting a charm all of their own, small items encompass a broad spectrum, ranging from fruit bowls, cheese boards and ash trays to bookends, candlesticks and ornamental objects.
This pair of Mouseman bookends was featured in our July 2023 Fine Art sale, selling for £300.
Sold recently in the first of our May Cobridge sales, this ashtray achieved a hammer price of £110.
The market is consistently strong for these pieces, attracting a diverse range of buyers. Governed by factors such as age, condition and type of piece, we typically sell Mouseman objects like these for between £100 and £800 in our auctions. Particularly exquisite examples, though, have been known to achieve even more, ranging into the thousands of pounds.
A charming item, this carved oak ornamament was featured in our November 2023 Fine Art auction. Hotly contested, this fantastic Mouseman piece went on to sell for a hammer price of £820.
Larger Items
Larger Mouseman furniture pieces are also highly sought-after at auction, with the same three factors dictating their value. They incorporate elements such as quarter-sawn timbers and pegged joints, ensuring long-lasting functionality in combination with attractive features.
Featured in our November 2023 Fine Art auction was this oak panelled drinks cupboard, which sold for twice its high estimate, the hammer coming down at £2,000.
With prices usually ranging in the thousands of pounds, the right piece can attain much higher figures – the record being $70,000 (just under £40,500), for a 1923 two-section oak cupboard, sold at Sotheby’s in New York, in December 2003.
This oak chest of drawers featured in our July 2023 Fine Art auction and was contested up to a hammer price of £2,100.
This oak two door wardrobe, featuring double panelled doors and halfpenny moulded top rail, was offered in our November 2023 Fine Art auction. It sold above the high estimate, at £3,600, making it the most successful Mouseman piece to sell in one of our auctions!
In all, it’s the items that were made during Robert Thompson’s life and career that enjoy the most attention, which can also include pieces produced by employees at his workshop. Naturally, those made by his own hand command the highest prices, but with the passage of time, more recent examples – from the 60s, 70s and 80s – are also benefiting increasingly from a growing interest, as they, too, continue to gracefully age and acquire patina.
Offered in our July 2023 Fine Art auction, this large standing corner cupboard sold for a hammer price of £1,900.
Want to Sell Mouseman Furniture?
At Potteries Auctions, we regularly sell Mouseman furniture in our Rare Ceramics, Jewellery & Collectibles auctions, and our past sales have seen us sell Mouseman items to buyers up and down the country, including Durham, Staffordshire and London.
As such, our experienced team can provide expert valuations for your Mouseman items every Tuesday at our Silverdale saleroom. To arrange an appointment, simply use our online booking form here.
You can also email us at enquiries@potteriesauctsions.com or call us on 01782 638100. We can even value your items via WhatsApp – just send us some clear photos via the app to 07864 667940.