An Arts & Crafts Yorkshire School English Oak Dining Table by Peter ‘Rabbitman’ Heap c. 1970. A classic Yorkshire School style dining table which stands out with its adzed finish and fox tongue joined top with feature exposed dowels by one of the most sought after Mouseman workmen. Featuring:

• Solid English Oak throughout.

• Rectangular top made out of just four continuous pieces oak.

• Fox tongue joined top with feature exposed dowels.

• On octagonal shaped trestle supports with sledge feet joined be a stretcher with keyed tenons.

• Subtly adzed on visible surfaces (the subtle surface rippling synonymous with Yorkshire School furniture) Adzing does not interfere with use and objects will happy stand steadily on an adzed surface.

Approximate dimensions are:

• Overall Length 1520mm (4 feet 11 3/4 inches).

• Overall Width 840mm (2 feet 9 inches).

• Overall Height 740mm (2 feet 5 inches) [A standard height for a dining table].

c. 1970.

Peter ‘Rabbitman’ Heap’s hand-carved Rabbit motif.

Very good condition with excellent colour and grain, clean finish and tight joints., A few minor marks and dints discoverable upon close inspection, although less than expected with an item that has been in use for 50 or so years. If you wish to have further specific photographs or talk to us for a more detailed condition report then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Peter 'Rabbitman' Heap (Ex-Mouseman): A Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson Craftsman, who went on to start his own workshop at Wetwang, producing classic Yorkshire Oak items to the same standard as Thompson's, each with his signature carved rabbit. One of the most renowned former Mouseman apprentices.

The most British of woods, that can produce really special results. English oak has been used for hundreds of years to construct everything from sea-going vessels to fine furniture. Although oak grows widely across Europe and North America, craftsmen continue to cherish English oak which grows more slowly than its foreign counterparts giving it strength, durability. Quarter sawn boards are very straight grained and have distinctive growth rings and medullary rays that give a very beautiful effect as well as being renowned for their superior stability and strength.

The Yorkshire School of the Arts & Crafts movement started with Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson's  transformation from jobbing carpenter to master craftsmen. By the mid-1920s he had adopted his trademark mouse (now world renowned as a symbol of quality furniture) and had his own workshop busily employing several men. As the workshop grew and over the years many of the craftsmen have taken their skills and branched out and adopted a trademark of their own, a fox, a lizard, a fish, a rabbit to name but a few, and whilst some have closely stuck to the Mouseman designs others have taken the style and adapted it. Other craftsmen, unconnected to the Mouseman workshop, have also chosen the classic Yorkshire Oak style as their own. Typical Yorkshire school items are in English Oak, with traditional pegged joints and adzed surfaces.