Mousey Thompson - What SHould I Do With This?

[paulrockliffe]

I've got a Mousey Thompson shelf that's currently sat underneath my sofa in the living room. It was originally in the lounge of my partner's parent's house when they bought it. It was completely out of place and has spend the last 20+ years in their garage.

It's 3.3m long, 9" deep and 2.5" thick. Very dark and I presume it's oak. With the mouse on one end. It's on OK condition, needs a bit of cleaning up a bit and probably isn't quite straight. It's too big and too dark for there to be an obvious place to put it in our house.

I can either:

1. Leave it under the sofa.
2. Clean it up and sell it.
3. Chop it in three and use it to make the top for a coffee table.

I don't really know very much about these things and don't want to chop it up if it has some cultural or artistic merit. And if it was worth a lot of money I'd rather sell it to someone that would appreciate it and make my coffee table from scratch.

So, what would you do? It looks like below, if the picture works:

IMAG0004 by paulrockliffe, on Flickr

 

[richarnold]

Please don't chop it up.
I'm sure someone out there would love to own that, and it would be a shame to cut it up.
Is the surface finished with an adze?.
Cheers Richard

 

[paulrockliffe]

The back edge is smooth and square, presumably saw cut. The front edge is smooth but has a slight uneven wave to it and the corners are rounded over to match, I'm not sure exactly what was used on it, possibly an adze. The top and bottom surfaces have been planed smooth.

 

[paulrockliffe]

It's basically this:

http://www.tennants.co.uk/Catalogue/Lots/75035.aspx

But a straight piece and a bit longer. Looks like there would be a market for it and it's worth more to someone else than it is to me.

 

[xy mosian]

The end grain surround to that carved mouse is impressively flat. Is the mouse carved from end grain too?
xy

 

[paulrockliffe]

It does look dead flat doesn't it. It's not though, it's got quite a few dips and bumps in it. The mouse is carved from the end grain, it's not glued on.

 

[xy mosian]

Thanks, that reinforces the quality of the work.
xy

 

[marcros]

I really like these pieces. If you were wanting to sell it, I might be interested, depending on price and condition.

 

[wellywood]

Cut a billet off the end complete with the mouse and mount it for display (along with photos of the original timber) then use the rest of the oak.

 

[Mr T]

It was a stroke of genius from Thompson to start carving the mouse. It would just be a lump of oak with little value without the mouse. I think I might start putting a hamster on my work, Chris Tribe - The Hamster Man!

Chris

 

[paulm]

Cut a billet off the end complete with the mouse and mount it for display (along with photos of the original timber) then use the rest of the oak.

If you want to chuck away a few hundred quid !

Have a look at the link posted earlier.

Cheers, Paul

 

[wellywood]

Cut a billet off the end complete with the mouse and mount it for display (along with photos of the original timber) then use the rest of the oak.

If you want to chuck away a few hundred quid !

Have a look at the link posted earlier.

Cheers, Paul

Why would you be 'chucking away a few hundred quid'?
You've retained the artwork and can utilise/sell the oak.
A collector interested in the carving is hardly likely to want it stuck on the end of a 3.3m long plank
Cheers,

 

[SimonT]

Cut a billet off the end complete with the mouse and mount it for display (along with photos of the original timber) then use the rest of the oak.

If you want to chuck away a few hundred quid !

Have a look at the link posted earlier.

Cheers, Paul

Why would you be 'chucking away a few hundred quid'?
You've retained the artwork and can utilise/sell the oak.
A collector interested in the carving is hardly likely to want it stuck on the end of a 3.3m long plank
Cheers,

I disagree completely collectors would prefer ORIGINAL everyday of the week, cutting it up will remove it completely from what it was. Im certain there are places it would suit in original condition.

I suppose the question is, is it more valuable to you (money aside) as a decorative carved peice in which case do as wellywood states and display the carved end or as a cleaned up saleable peice to a collector. Imho i wouldnt chop it up but clean it up and store it somewhere dry and wood worm free!!!

 

[marcros]

Cut a billet off the end complete with the mouse and mount it for display (along with photos of the original timber) then use the rest of the oak.

Please don't do this. It is like prising the bonnet ornament off a classic car and letting the remainder rust away.

 

[nev]

If it has no sentimental or aesthetic value to you, check out the price list on http://www.robertthompsons.co.uk/ :shock:

 

[Woodcrafts]

Quote: " And if it was worth a lot of money I'd rather sell it to someone that would appreciate it and make my coffee table from scratch."

For what it could sell for in its present, complete condition, you could probably buy several times the quantity of oak required to make your coffee table. Be careful if you clean it not to destroy the patina.

 

[paulrockliffe]

Thanks all, I'm definitely ruling out touching it with anything sharp now you've confirmed that it has value in one piece. I'm not particularly attached to the mouse and I agree that the mouse doesn't really have much value if it's not on the original piece.

I think it's going to sit where it is until I've got the last of my house renovation jobs sorted, then I'll tidy it up and then either sell it or take it to auction. Maybe it'll be like the end of only Fools and Horses.....