Farmhouse sale of Mouseman furniture

Seven pieces of ‘Mouseman’ furniture from a Leicestershire farmhouse went under the hammer for £27,400 at a recent Christmas Art & Antiques auction.

A suite of three bedroom pieces dating from 1941 were the standout lots among the Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson of Kilburn furniture offered at Gildings Auctioneers in the county.

The three beautifully crafted oak panelled pieces were sold complete with their original invoices dated almost exactly 83 years ago on November 27th, 1941.

A double wardrobe bought for £23 surpassed its guide price of £4,000-6,000 to fetch £8,000 on the day. A double bed purchased for £8 sold for £6,200, exceeding its estimate of £2,000-4,000. A bedside cupboard which cost £6 in 1941 went under the hammer for £3,800, again outperforming its guide price of £1,500-2,000.

The other oak Mouseman furniture from the farmhouse included a chest of drawers, also dating from 1941 which fetched £4,000. A wardrobe and bedside cabinet made in the 1970s with similar panelling to their 1941 counterparts sold for £3,000 and £1,300 respectively, while a 1950s octagonal coffee table made £1,100.

“We were delighted to offer this wonderful Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson furniture to auction, in particular the scarcer 1941 pieces displaying the incredibly detailed skill set of the craftsmen,from the cabinet making, to the ironwork with near unique screwheads,” commented Gildings Director and 20th Century Decorative Art & Design Specialist, Will Gilding.

“Every surface is hand adzed, including the back panelling, which as the workshop’s output increased was a trademark that became restricted to the main surfaces. However, the most striking aspect is the rich treacle hue of the oak. Compared to the two later pieces added in the 1970s, the colour contrast is quite striking, but in time the furniture from later years should garner the same depth of tone. So, although there are inevitable signs of wear and tear, these really are examples of objects that grow more beautiful with age.”

Will added: “These very special pieces of furniture were made even more so by the fact that they remained together in the same Leicestershire family since the first of them were commissioned in the midst of World War Two. Almost all of them have gone to different new owners from near and far, such is the enduring love for Thompson and the craftsmen of Yorkshire who remain a beacon of skill and charm into the 21st century.”