Mouseman & Horlicks

_{A Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson Dining Table
Estimate - £6,000-8,000}

We are excited to announce that our Design sale on 26 January will include a prime period Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson oak dining table and six dining chairs with a provenance to a key patron. The two lots offered were made for the Horlick family, who were producers of the famous malted milk drink. Thompson provided office furniture for the landmark Horlicks factory in Slough in three batches (1930, 1936 and 1938) plus additional pieces for family members.  

_{Six Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson Oak Dining Chairs
Estimate - £6,000-8,000}

The table and chairs dated to c.1930 were previously owned by Sir Peter James Cunliffe Horlick, 3rd Bt (1908-58) and formed part of an auction of his estate in 1958. The chairs, each with mouse signatures to the legs and all inscribed in different places with the letter H, had been bought by the present owner's father in the auction. The table, with its 2.11m adzed two-plank top and shaped sledge supports has the mouse signature on the plinth.
In October 2018 Sworders sold a 47-lot collection of Mouseman furniture from the Horlicks collection for £236,000. It was sold by British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline as the Horlicks brand itself was put up for sale.

_{Close up of Mouse signature and Horlicks inscription}

Leading the collection was a dresser carved with a double mouse signature, the date 1930 and also the letter H. The Robert Thompson ledger of 1930 records: Lieut. Col. AJ Horlick c/o Horlicks Ltd., Slough Buckinghamshire Dresser as sketch submitted 6'0 long x 7' high app. £45. The hammer price was a mighty £35,000, the second-highest ever for Mouseman furniture.

To find out more about the sale please contact John Black 

T | 01279 817778

E | johnblack@sworder.co.uk