The term ‘Mouseman’, when applied to a piece of carved English oak, is synonymous with the very finest quality craftsmanship. The life and work of Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson is well-documented, and his legacy secured through the workshop and museum in Kilburn that still bears his name today. The presence of the small, hand-carved rodent, that first appeared in 1919, is now recognised throughout the world as the unique signature of one the leading lights of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Less well-known perhaps is the vast array of carpenters inspired by – and in many cases tutored by – Thompson himself that have enriched this tradition of high-quality vernacular furniture. Loosely referred to as the ‘Yorkshire Critters’, this group of skilled artisans have sought to broaden and enhance the appeal of traditionally made furniture but adding their own particular characteristics and ‘signing’ them with individual animals or other designs, with everything – from acorns to squirrels, lizards, kingfishers, wrens, labradors and even woodworm! In fact, there have been over thirty such craftsmen, mainly from Yorkshire, producing carved furniture and treen items whilst attracting collectors worldwide.
In our Derby April Three-Day Antiques & Collectors Auction, we are privileged to offer three items by Tom ‘Gnomeman’ Whittaker of Littlebeck comprising:
Lot 2000 – an oak spinning chair with carved dragons to shaped back splat, carved gnome to front right leg and with dodecagonal seat, heading to auction with an estimated value of £150-£200.
Lot 3100 – an oak table lamp depicting a seated religious figure at ease whilst reading, carved gnome to rear, estimated to fetch £80-£100.
And lot 3101 – a small carved figure of the ubiquitous gnome, unmarked but adjudged to be from the same hand, possibly a shop advertising figure, height 24cm, estimated at £60-£70.
Will our tree-trunk trio find a route home to Yorkshire or will they shoot off elsewhere? We’ll find out on Day 3 of our forthcoming sale. With examples of Mouseman and Rabbitman furniture coming up in our next Iconic Sale in June, who knows which of the ‘Yorkshire Critters’ will be the next to turn up at our Etwall saleroom?
Adrian Kinton,
Auctioneer
Auction Information
Auction: Derby April Three-Day Antiques & Collectors Auction
Auction date: 17th – 23rd April 2025 | 9:30am
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
