Mouseman furniture and George Weatherill sketchbook up for sale at Yorkshire auction

George Weatherill was one of Yorkshire’s finest artists and was often compared to JMW Turner.
Jonathan Pritchard
By Jonathan Pritchard
Published 17th Nov 2022, 08:53 BST
Updated 17th Nov 2022, 11:54 BST

Born in Staithes, he spent his entire life in the Whitby area. And although self-taught, his work inspired a fine reputation.

Now a sketchbook containing 98 studies in watercolour and pencil by the painter dubbed “the Turner of the North” is to go on sale with an estimated value of £5,000 to £8,000.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He lived from 1810 to 1890 and his later work, from 1860, is said to exhibit his debt to Turner, the great master of light. Weatherill captured in his watercolours the quality of Northern coastal light.

Eleanor Williams with a Robert Mouseman Thompson octagonal mantel clock.Eleanor Williams with a Robert Mouseman Thompson octagonal mantel clock.
Eleanor Williams with a Robert Mouseman Thompson octagonal mantel clock.

He worked as a bank clerk in Whitby and only became a professional artist in 1860.

The sketchbook is among a veritable treasure trove of items to go on sale tomorrow (Nov 18) and Saturday courtesy of Ryedale Auctioneers in Kirkbymoorside in North Yorkshire.

They are some of the contents of the Grange at Goathland.

The sketchbook is described as the “star lot”. A spokesman for the auctioneers said: “The book comes with good provenance having been owned by the Turnbulls, a prominent Whitby shipping family and collectors of work by the Weatherills.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Eleanor Williams looking through an extensive sketch book containing 98 individual studies in watercolour and pencil attributed to the ‘the Turner of the North’ George Weatherill, estimated at £5000 - £8000.Eleanor Williams looking through an extensive sketch book containing 98 individual studies in watercolour and pencil attributed to the ‘the Turner of the North’ George Weatherill, estimated at £5000 - £8000.
Eleanor Williams looking through an extensive sketch book containing 98 individual studies in watercolour and pencil attributed to the ‘the Turner of the North’ George Weatherill, estimated at £5000 - £8000.

Auctioneer Angus Ashworth said: "Our two-day winter Country House and Fine Art Sale includes the contents of The Grange at Goatland, a substantial country house.

"The sale also includes a fantastic whisky collection, just in time for Christmas, along with Yorkshire Oak

including items from the ‘Mouseman’ workshop, silver, jewellery, fine furniture, and a huge collection of Whitefriars glass vases, including some very sought-after pieces.”

Other top lots include a 1950s Rolex precision nine carat gold cased wristwatch with leather strap, estimated at £1,000 to £1,500; plus a Robert Mouseman Thompson of Kilburn octagonal oak mantel clock with circular Roman dial with brass bezel in cross carved border, carved with signature mouse, and worth £1,000 to £1,500.

Amd there is a combination wardrobe by Brian Haw, a former Mouseman carver, in Yorkshire oak. It is estimated at £2,000 to £3,000.

Related topics:North YorkshireWhitby