Dozens of handcrafted pieces by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson will go under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers next month, with one rare hutch cupboard expected to reach up to £8,000.

A rare piece of Mouseman furniture, a circa 1926 English Oak Hutch Cupboard, is set to be the star of Tennants Auctioneers' upcoming 20th Century Design Sale on Saturday (Oct 5).

Estimated at £6,000-8,000, this piece features two of Robert Thompson's signature hand-carved mice, with a unique undercut design raising their heads and chests off the wood—an early hallmark of Thompson's work.

Diane Sinnott, 20th Century Design Specialist from Tennants Auctioneers, is pictured with a Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson (1876-1955), with Provenance from the Estate of Ken Almack, an apprentice at the Mouseman Workshop. | Simon Hulme

placeholder image — Diane Sinnott, 20th Century Design Specialist from Tennants Auctioneers, is pictured with a Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson (1876-1955), with Provenance from the Estate of Ken Almack, an apprentice at the Mouseman Workshop. | Simon Hulme

A similar mouse carving can be seen on the mantelpiece in Thompson’s own cottage in Kilburn, the original home of the Mouseman brand.

The hutch, bearing the heraldic motif "Industria" along with a bee, has significant provenance. It once belonged to the Preston/Isherwood family from Lancashire, who were close friends and patrons of Thompson.

Alongside the hutch, a pair of bespoke English Oak Easy Chairs from the 1930s, made for the Prestons, are also included in the auction, estimated at £8,000-10,000.

The chairs feature bespoke iron fittings, including a whisky glass holder and an ashtray under each armrest.

Another highlight of the sale is a collection of Mouseman furniture commissioned in the 1930s for Tudor Croft, an Arts and Crafts house in Guisborough.

Diane Sinnott, 20th Century Design Specialist at Tennants Auctioneers, is pictured with a Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson (1876-1955) Two English Oak Carved Mice . | Simon Hulme

Key items include an English Oak Dresser (estimate: £8,000-12,000) and a 6’6” Refectory Dining Table (estimate: £2,000-3,000), both originally made for the wedding of Ronald and Lilian Crossley in 1933.

In addition to these historical pieces, the sale includes over 100 lots of Mouseman furniture and 80 lots of Yorkshire Critters, including personal items from the estate of Ken Almack, one of Thompson's craftsmen.

Highlights from Almack's collection include a Burr Oak Dish Top Stool inscribed "For Mam" (estimate: £600-900) and two whimsical carvings of mice standing on a wheel of cheese, each estimated at £700-1,000.