Coming up for sale on 20th May at Tennants Decorative Arts Sale is one of Tennants largest collections of Mouseman furniture to date. Robert Thomson was known as The Mouseman, and he worked in the village of Kilburn, North Yorkshire under the White Horse, producing a wide range of Arts and Crafts English Oak furniture in the early 20th century.  Through a dedicated team of craftsmen his work continues to this day and every piece is recognizable by the little carved mouse which adorns it.

In this collection there are some old and rare pieces which are, most unusually, not all made of oak.  One of the pieces is a wooden tray made of Walnut which was taken from a fallen tree circa 1930, carved by Fred Suffield as a wedding present.

Two more unusual pieces in the sale, which were specially commissioned, are lamp shades in the form of oak leaves.  Some of the pieces being sold date back to 1920’s and 1930’s and are the most collectable.  They include a monks chair, stools, candlesticks, standard lamp, and the largest piece is a Hallstand which is expected to bring £1,500-£2,000.

Other ‘critters’ can be found carved onto other pieces of furniture in the sale and they include a gnome on a court cupboard produced by Thomas Whittaker of Little Beck, nr Whitby.

Also included in the sale is a John Pearson copper charger which is expected to bring £1,000-£1,500. Four similar chargers sold recently at Tennants for £6,500. In addition, a Martin Brothers pot will be auctioned and is expected to reach £500-£700.

Tennants Decorative Arts Sale will appeal to anyone with an interest in interior design or the decorative arts.  A catalogue is available (£5 plus post and packing) and viewing is on Friday 19th May from 9am to 7pm and on the sale day which is Saturday, 20th May from 8.30am until 11.30am. The sale starts at 12 noon. For those who cannot attend in person, telephone bidding can be arranged by contacting The Auction Centre in advance of the sale on 01969 623780.

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