Dear Gary
I have a ‘crock’ (bread/potato?) which belonged to my parents – I’ve had it for approx 30 years, but no idea how far back it goes. It’s in excellent condition, no cracks or chips, never been used. It’s glazed inside but, as you can see, only part glazed on the outside. There are no makers marks. I wonder if you could please tell me exactly what it is, possible age and if it is worth anything.
Hello,
Thank you for your email.
You have an earthenware salt glazed lidded pot. These were very common in the Victorian era and were used to keep a variety of items in. There are still plenty of these on the market and you can pick a similar one up for under £50.
There is a massive interest in Mouseman and ‘Yorkshire Critter’ furniture at the moment and that is being reflected in the record prices it is fetching at auction.
We have sold many pieces of Mouseman over the years and last month I was asked to sell a small pot cupboard for a client. This type of cupboard usually sells for around £800 – 1000 but this was an early piece possibly carved by Robert Thompson himself in the 1930’s. We had interest from around the world during our online auction and after a fierce bidding battle, it sold for a staggering £7280! We think that is a world record price for a pot cupboard.
We are delighted to announce that we will be holding an online auction soon in which we have over 70 pieces of Mouseman, Wrenman, Rabbitman and other ‘Yorkshire Critter’ furniture and collectables. Please keep an eye on our website for dates.
