Stock ref: DS2028

1930

An excellent early bespoke commissioned Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson Oak Monk’s Chair, the curved back rail with a  carved monks head and flower head. The central splat with a shield carved with the Horlick family coat of arms and inscribed with the family motto ‘Labore Et Scienta (by work and by knowledge), the side splats with tudor rose flower heads. The seat is an early drop-in woven leather lattice design, supported on four legs with a crossed stretcher, an excellent early mouse carved to the front left leg.

Excellent rich colour and patina, solid  joints and usable condition. The original leather has been replaced in the past  but is acquiring a nicely aged patina, and the under seat frame strenghened with additional corner blocking, all thought to have been completed in the 1970s, on all the chairs from their collection. Original Horlicks and Glaxo Smith Kline assett register numbers affixed to the underseat framework.

Sympathetically cleaned and re-waxed.

Excellent provenance: from the Horlicks Collection and recorded in the Robert Thompson ledger, 1930, Messers Horlick, Slough, Monks Chairs with coats of arms, £ 6 each. 

The Horlick family are famous for  creating and owning the famous malted milk drink ‘Horlicks’ manufactured at their large Slough factory, which has only  recently closed following the sale of the business by Glaxo Smith Klein.  The Robert Thompson ledgers  indicate that the family commissioned a significant number of pieces from 1930 through to 1939 to furnish their boardroom and other offices. The surviving pieces have recently been sold at auction in 46 lots, representing the largest single owner collection to come to market since the Leeds Girls Grammer School collection was sold in 2008. The Horlicks  sale achieved a total  auction hammer price of £ 236,000 (excl buyers fees), the highest price being a new UK record of £ 35,000 hammer price ( £44,660 incl buyers fees) for a 1930 made  Dresser.

One of two that we have available for sale, these are 2 of 8 commissioned in 1930 for the Horlick’s boardroom.

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