Circa 1970’s/80’s
Beautifully hand tooled octagonal napkin ring with a prominent and detailed rabbit carving. Lovely deep honey coloured oak highlights the graining and tooling. Much rarer and more intricately carved than the Mouseman equivalent.
Mouseman trained in the 60’s, Peter’s own business ceased in 1989.
Size: 5(w) x 4.5(d) x 6(h)cm
{gallery}DS1064{/gallery}
Circa 1960‘s / 70’s
Of carved octagonal form, on a green baize base, with a prominent lizard carved onto the centre front face. Lovely clean and undamaged condition in a medium oak finish. Complete with working electrical fittings and a quality silk shade.
Size: 12.5(w) x 12.5(d) x 24(h)cm incl brass fitting. (39.5 h cm incl fitted silk shade)
2.5 metre lead with fitted plug, was safety tested by auction house before purchase.
Derek trained at Acorn Industries, later working at Crayke near Easingwold. His early solo work featured a fish trademark, changing to a lizard when he joined forces with Martin ‘Lizardman’ Dutton in the 60‘s. Both had similar profound
sensory impairments and they worked well together. Their lizard carvings are distinguishable from one another.
{gallery}DS1062{/gallery}
Circa early 20th C.
Unmarked but clearly beautifully made in the Gimson and Barnsley Cotswold style, to the very highest quality construction standards. Made in oak and oak veneer with distinctive scalloped edges and inset holly roundels. The quality and attention to detail
is confirmed by the use of matched and mirrored oak veneer on the rear of the mirror.
In superb condition overall with good original glass and a lovely deep honey colour and patination, commensurate with its age and normal usage. A 1cm wide piece of veneer is missing on the outer edge (8 o’clock position), with minor veneer joint
shrinkage at 2 points and minor wear to the lower rear edge where it has rubbed against a wall when hung.
Size: 15”(dia) x 1”(d) (38cm x 2.5cm)
{gallery}DS1057{/gallery}
Circa 1970’s / 80’s
A handmade wall hanging letter rack from the Beaverman workshops in Sutton-under- Whitestonecliffe, at the foot of the North Yorkshire Moors, near Thirsk. Features a handcarved Yorkshire rose and his trademark Beaver carved to the front of the rack.
Size: 26.5(w) x 8 (d) x 24cm(h) cm.
Excellent condition, honey coloured with no damage or marks.
Colin Almack was trained and worked at Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson’s workshops in Kilburn but he left in 1960 to set up his own business. Although Colin has died the family business continues today with the same values and traditions, led by his
son-in-law David Clegg, himself a master craftsman.
{gallery}DS1023{/gallery}
Circa 1960
A very early example of the wider, heavier but shallower fruit bowl with the mouse carved to the centre of the bowl, a design which is still in use today. Tooled to the inside and outside with a large and beautifully carved trademark mouse to the centre
of the bowl. Thick rimmed and presented in superb waxed condition. Medium fumed with a wonderful deep honey colour, which will darken further with more age, highlighting the tooling and graining of the wood. The colour comes not from staining the wood
but the original fuming, maturation and normal usage of the piece. Superb condition, free from damage, repair or any significant staining other than that acquired in normal usage.
Size: 29(dia) x 7(h) cm
{gallery}DS1053{/gallery}
Circa 1940’s/ early 50’s
Sought after early bowl with a detailed, high backed trademark mouse carved to the outer side of the bowl. Handcrafted and tooled to the inside and ouside, the master craftsman making this bowl has produced a bowl of unusually slim sides and rim. Medium
fumed, the wood has now aged and matured to give a wonderful deep honeyed colour, highlighting the tooling and graining of the wood. Presented in superb waxed condition, careful usage over the years has ensured the bowl has not stained black, as is often
found, from the acids etc. within the skin of the fruit placed in the bowl.
No evidence of any repair, just the usual minor nicks on the rim from normal usage and a 1” hairline along the grain on the outside near the mouse. Production of bowls with the mouse on the outside ceased in the late 50’s.
Size: 25.5(dia) x 6.5(h) cm
{gallery}DS1051{/gallery}
Circa 1960‘s / 70’s
A rectangular 2’6’’ wide coffee table with a 2 plank top, taper shaped end supports leading down to sledge feet and a traditionally pegged central stretcher. All visible parts have been adzed. Trademark acorn carving in the centre of
the stretcher. Deep honey coloured oak and presented in excellent condition with solid joints, free from damage, staining and ring marks.
Size: 76.5(w) x 40(d) x 44(h)cm.
Alan Grainger founded Acorn Industries in Brandsby, North Yorkshire in the late 1950’s. Business expanded in the 60‘s/70‘s, up to 7 craftsmen. Ceased trading in 2005 on the retirement of Derek Grainger, when just 2 craftsmen remained.
{gallery}DS1060{/gallery}
1996
A modern nest of 3 solid oak tables, signed DH (David Hunter – Bob’s eldest son) and dated 19/1/96 to the underside.
Of golden oak colour and in superb condition, with solid joints and free from any staining or ring marks. The largest top is constructed from a single plank with wonderful adzing and graining, the smaller tables with 2 plank tops, all adzed to the top
surfaces to reflect the light. Octagonal carved legs and sledge feet all carved in Bob Hunters unique and distinctive style.
Mouseman trained in the late 40’s / 50’s, he has rigorously avoided ever copying their items or carvings, preferring to develop his own distinctive style. Still at work in this family business, he is now ably assisted by his 2 sons and daughter,
all master craftsmen in their own right.
Size: 68.5(w) x 40(d) x 46(h)cm largest.
{gallery}DS1059{/gallery}
Circa 1900
Silver overlaid Loetz vase with the ‘Olympia’ olive green iridescent glass designed in 1896. The facetted and shouldered glass vase has an everted rim and is overlaid with detailed and very stylish silver Art Nouveau whiplash flowering foliage. Superb condition, with just two very small detail pieces of silver decoration missing. Provenance from Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh.
{gallery}DS1019{/gallery}
1957
Very rare to the market & highly sought after, understated Arts and Crafts furniture at its best, in the Cotswold school style. Every piece is totally unique – SWD never allowed production of the same design twice. Signed and dated in typical fashion by the SWD craftsman who made it – Fred Ellison.
Lovely square top with chamfered edges & rounded corners, the wood ,specifically chosen for the distinctive graining and medullary rays. A shaped apron joins 4 legs, square at the top but each chamfered progressively down into an octagonal, jointed into a beautifully carved and shaped interlocking X frame base foot.
Size: 36.5(w) x 36.5(d) x 46(h)cm
In superb condition.
SWD was the son of a wealthy mill owner in Darwin, Lancs. Oxford eductated, he was apprenticed to A. Romney Green before setting up business in Windermere, Cumbria in 1923. The business closed in 1960.
Fred Ellison (1919 – 2002) was the son of a Windermere railwayman and joined SWD straight from school as an apprentice aged 16. He and Sid Johnston were the last to leave the firm when it closed in 1960. He bought some materials from SWD on closure of the business and worked privately until his retirement.Notable work includes the gates and kneelers for the church at Troutbeck.
For those interested in learning more about his work I can highly recommend Hugh Wright’s book published in 2006, Stanley Webb Davies (1894-1978) Arts and Crafts Furniture Maker.
{gallery}DS1056{/gallery}
Circa 1940’s/early 50’s
Rare and extremely versatile early piece in stunning condition, featuring a 2 plank adzed rectangular top with canted corners, above a shaped apron frieze. Sitting on four octagonal legs joined by stretchers. Beautifully detailed mouse carved to the front
right leg.
In line with early work pre mid 50‘s all the wood is adzed, including the stretchers and apron. Cleaned and waxed it has a wonderfully deep dark honey colour all over which highlights the graining patterns in the oak superbly. All the joints are
sound and it is free from stains.
Size: 92(w) x 46(d) x 73(h) cm
{gallery}DS1046{/gallery}
Circa 1960
A very early example of his own independent work. Featuring an adzed rectangular top, four corner positioned adzed carved and faceted legs on block feet, joined by stretchers. Large and prominent trademark squirrel carved in high relief to a front leg.
In excellent condition with a wonderful highly waxed and rich, deep golden /nutty brown colour and patination.
Size: 71.5(w) x 38.5(d) x 52(h) cm
Wilf Hutchinson is a former Mouseman apprentice, leaving to establish his own furniture workshop in 1957 in the village of Husthwaite, between Thirsk and Easingwold. His business continues with Wilf aided by his son, Trevor.
{gallery}DS1030{/gallery}
