Results: 20th Century Design Sale 5th October

An outstanding selection of early Mouseman furniture was sold in the 20th Century Design Sale at Tennants Auctioneers on 5th October, led by an English Oak 9ft Refectory Table, which is thought to have been made for Yorkshire Copper Works of Leeds in 1939 (sold for £11,500 all figures exclude buyer’s premium), and an impressive English Oak Dresser, commissioned in the 1930s for Tudor Croft, an Arts and Crafts house on the edge of Guisborough built by Ronald Crossley (sold for £11,500). With provenance from the Preston/Isherwood family of Lancashire were a rare circa 1926 English Oak Hutch Cupboard, which has two of Robert Thompson’s own hand-carved mice with front paws (sold for £11,000), and a Pair of English Oak Easy Chairs made circa 1930 (sold for £11,000).

The entire offering of Mouseman pieces in the sale, totalling 104 lots, sold for a combined hammer price of £149,820. Further highlights of the section included two little carvings of mice, each standing on a wheel of cheese from a highly personal collection of Mouseman and Critter pieces from the estate of the late Ken Almack (1932-2021), one of Robert Thompson’s craftsmen. The two carvings sold for £5,000 and £3,200 respectively.

Notable highlights from the other Yorkshire Critter Carvers in the sale included two lots made by Thomas ‘Gnomeman’ Whittaker of Littlebeck, Whitby; Six Carved Oak Heraldic Queen’s Beasts sold for £2,000, and a Pair of English Oak Bookends carved with monks’ heads sold for £650.

A notable private collection of studio pottery, including pieces from leading British 20th century ceramicists, sold in 33 lots for a total hammer price of £19,340. The collection was headed by four pieces by the renowned Dame Lucie Rie that sold for a combined hammer price of £11,900, including a Stoneware Bottle Vase made circa 1983 (sold for £6,000).

A further Private Collection of French and American Art Glass from the North West, dating from 1900 to the 1930s, sold for a total hammer price of £31,860 for the 27 lots. Comprising cameo and painted pieces, the collection was predominantly purchased by the collector from leading Decorative Arts glass dealers Denise and Shane Theophilus. Highlights of the collection included an Émile Gallé Cameo ‘Le Lac de Come’ Glass Vase, made circa 1925 (sold for £4,200).

Two outstanding rare items in the sale, which exceeded pre-sale expectations were ‘The Coquette’ (HN20), a Rare Ceramic Figure by William White for Royal Doulton, which sold for £3,800, and a Child’s Handkerchief by Eric Ravillious, which sold for £4,500. The handkerchief is thought to have been one of only five trial examples made for a commission by the British Cotton Board, which never went into production, but used a rare lithographic textile printing process.

The sale achieved a total hammer price of £297,240 for the 399 lots, and a 94% sold rate.

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