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New Book Tells the Fascinating Story of the Arts & Crafts Furniture Maker Who Signed his Work with a Mouse
A new book, Mouseman: The Legacy of Robert Thompson of Kilburn, published this month by Great Northern Books Ltd, tells the fascinating story of Robert Thompson (1876 - 1955), the early 20th century master craftsman whose oak furniture, 'signed' with a carved mouse, is highly sought after today.
He was born and, despite attracting wide acclaim for his work, lived all his life in a small cottage in the quiet North Yorkshire village of Kilburn.
At a time when industrialisation and mass production were seen as the 'way forward' for furniture manufacturing, Robert Thompson chose instead to embrace the principles of hand-production and the tools and designs of mediaeval craftsmen. His first major commission was at nearby Ampleforth College and as word of his skills spread, he was sought out by the leading architects of the day to provide hand-carved oak furniture and fittings for churches, cathedrals, stately homes and public buildings across the country and overseas.
On each piece of furniture Robert Thompson carved a small mouse that represented his motto, 'industry in quiet places'. The tradition is continued today at Robert Thompson's Craftsmen Ltd, where fine oak furniture, carved with a mouse, is made by hand amongst the same buildings and workshops in Kilburn village where it all began.
Early Mouseman furniture is highly sought after and changes hands at auctions for large sums of money - beyond anything that Robert Thompson would ever have envisaged.
The new book contains archive photographs and drawings from the Thompson family and business archives, which have never before been published. An important section of the publication is a guide to identifying and dating Mouseman furniture by Ian Thompson Cartwright, great grandson of Robert Thompson and MD of the family business that continues the 'Mouseman'
tradition.
The book includes eight scenic trails around Yorkshire and Cumbria identifying over 40 locations, such as country churches, cathedrals and public buildings where Mouseman furniture may be viewed. It also highlights other locations across the UK where Mouseman furniture is found: from the grandeur of Westminster Abbey in London and Brecon Cathedral in Wales to the isolated church of St Edward on the Hebridean island of Canna. The book also contains a comprehensive list of all work by Robert Thompson and his successors, which has been extracted from the company's ledgers. It is the most comprehensive record of what was made, when, and where it was located, providing a treasure trove of information for Mouseman aficionados.
The foreword is by Alan Titchmarsh, an avid Mouseman collector, who describes how he first became aware of Mouseman furniture when serving as an altar boy in Otley Parish Church. As a boy he visited Kilburn village where he was amazed by massive piles of oak planks seasoning outside the Mouseman workshop - a sight that is still seen in the village today. Today Alan dines at a Mouseman table that he and his wife saved up for when they first married. He says, 'The craftsmanship of Robert Thompson and his craftsmen, and the tactile qualities of the furniture, are things I will always treasure - along with the 'Mouseman' tray off which I eat my TV suppers!'
Mouseman: The Legacy of Robert Thompson of Kilburn by Patricia Lennon and David Joy is available now. Published in full colour, hardback at £15.99.
New Mouseman Book Launched at Major Auction of Mouseman Furniture at Tennants
The new book Mouseman: The Legacy of Robert Thompson of Kilburn was launched by Ian Thompson Cartright, great grandson of Robert (Mouseman) Thompson, on 11 July at a Mouseman event at Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn. The event was a private viewing for a major Mouseman sale, which takes place at Tennants on 19 July 2008, comprising the complete fixtures and fittings from Leeds Girls' High School which were commissioned from Robert Thompson in the 1930s. Diane Sinnott, the Mouseman expert at Tennants describes it as a 'once in a life-time' sale and says that, as well as interest from serious Mouseman collectors across the UK, they have received hundreds of enquiries from 'old girls' of the school hoping to pick up a piece of memorabilia.
The new book was extremely well received at the event and most of the guests took the opportunity to get Ian Thompson Cartwright (the present-day 'Mouseman') to sign their copies.
For more information on the Mouseman auction at Tennants visit www.tennants.co.uk.
For more information on the new book, Mouseman: The Legacy of Robert Thompson of Kilburn, click here
New Mouseman Book Will Help Collectors Identify Genuine Items
The new book, Mouseman: The Legacy of Robert Thompson of Kilburn contains a valuable section, written by Ian Thompson Cartwright, MD of Robert Thompson's Craftsmen in Kilburn and great grandson of Robert Thompson, on 'How to Date Mouseman Furniture'. It contains detailed information on the production methods of specific items of furniture over the years, highlighting specific changes in appearance and design, which will enable collectors to date a particular item. For example, in 1971 the company replaced the use of animal glue with stronger modern adhesives. This meant that fox tongue jointing methods were no longer required to keep tabletop joints together, therefore all tables produced after 1971 do not have dowels visible in the surface of the top.
This detailed production methods and dating information in the book is invaluable for collectors. As Mouseman furniture is so collectable and can attract high values at auction, it is not surprising that it is being targeted by unscrupulous fraudsters producing counterfeit pieces or mis-dating pieces to appear older and so increase their value. Ian Thompson Cartwright, said, 'The internet has opened up the way for dubious dealers, trading in fakes, to become more established.' His advice is 'Buy only from our showroom in Kilburn or from a reputable antiques' house or auctioneer.
Always try to establish an item's history and provenance.'
For more information on the new book, Mouseman: The Legacy of Robert Thompson of Kilburn, click here
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