Big battle for Mouseman elephant bookends
An extremely rare pair of elephant bookends by sought-after designer Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson has sold for £12,500 in a recent Somerset sale.
Auction house, Lawrences of Crewkerne, said that the pair of bookends attracted a huge amount of interest, with a large number of specialist dealers and collectors fighting it out for the pieces.
The bookends were probably commissioned by John Weston Adamson in the 1930s whilst he was living at Oldstead Hall in Yorkshire as he had a keen interest in African wildlife.
The lot had passed down through the family to the present Somerset vendor who offered them for sale at Lawrences.
Auctioneer Simon Jones said, “They attracted a huge amount of pre-sale interest and nine telephone lines were booked on the day. After a long auction battle they eventually made £12,500.
“We have sold some wonderful pieces of Mouseman furniture over the years, but these were almost certainly the rarest items we have ever handled. This maker continues to attract a huge amount of interest in auction, with a large number of specialist dealers and collectors battling to secure the pieces.”
Furniture maker Robert Thompson of Kilburn in Yorkshire crafted pieces of furniture and small wooden items that are well known for their carved mouse signatures.
