A rare, early 'out of hours' horseshoe pin dish / tray made by one of Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson's craftsmen. This has been confirmed by the Mouseman Museum who have assessed the piece, stating that it has been made by a Mouseman craftsmen with Thompson's consent, but it would have been made out of working hours as the design differs slightly from the horseshoe pin trays that were being made at the time.
 
For anyone not familiar with 'out of hours' pieces, Robert Thompson allowed his craftsmen to make pieces for themselves to their own design out of working hours. They can be quite sought after as most were made pre 1955 when Robert Thompson was still alive. They were not made as fakes or intended to deceive buyers, they were mostly made by Thompson's craftsmen to be given to family, friends, or loved ones. They are often very charming pieces that attract Mouseman collectors because of their unique designs.
 
The condition of the pin dish is very good, with just some dark scorch marks to the well, other than that there is no damage. The mouse has been very well carved, and the patination is absolutely wonderful. The base of the dish has been beautifully tooled, which is quite unusual. It measures 11 cm x 10.5 cm. The height is 3.5 cm (including the mouse). Overall, it is quite a special, one-off piece. Circa 1940.