The previous owner of the tools, Stan Dodds, was a woodcarver who worked at Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson's Kilburn workshop from 1942 until his retirement in 1994. It’s common practice for woodworkers to stamp their tools with their name to help identify and keep track of them in a workshop. Most of the wooden handles in the tool collection are stamped 'S. Dodds', but some are stamped with the names of other woodworkers.

Ryedale Auctioneers' Saleroom Manager, Jeremy Wood, said, 'some of the tools are stamped 'R Thompson' and 'Thompson'- likely to have been owned and used by the founder of the Mouseman workshop, Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson himself. We anticipate there will be a lot of interest in these from serious collectors, and these could well exceed their auction estimates.'

 

 

Like most of the Yorkshire 'critter' carvers that trained with Robert Thompson, Dodds often carved his own pieces with an animal signature. His early pieces are carved with a rabbit, and later pieces are carved with a woodpecker.

 

Dodds produced small scale wood carvings of animals in his spare time, both during his time at the Mouseman workshop in Kilburn, and after his retirement. A number of these carvings have been entered into sale by the same vendor, including:

Stan Woodpeckerman Dodds - carved oak model of a standing pig, carved with signature woodpecker and dated 2002, H10cm
Estimated at £1500-£2000 + auction fees

Also pictured are carvings being sold by the same vendor by Stan Dodd's protégé, wood carver Peter Raymond Stout. 

Peter Raymond Stout - a carved oak model of a walking Shire Horse, on adzed top rectangular base, W22cm D5cm H17cm
£400-£600 + auction fees

Peter Raymond Stout - carved wood model of a seated Beaver, H16cm

£200-£400 + auction fees

 

This unique collection provides Yorkshire Oak collectors with an opportunity to own a piece of furniture-making history.

 

SALE INFORMATION:
Country House Sale
Friday 20th June from 10am
Saleroom open for viewing Thursday 19th June 10am-4pm

 

The sale catalogue will be published a week prior to the sale.

To take place at:
Ryedale Auctioneers
Cooks Yard, New Road
Kirkbymoorside
North Yorkshire
YO62 6DZ