Curated | No. 1 | The Autumn Edit
Welcome to the First Edition of Curated
Welcome to the very first edition of Curated, the newsletter from James D S McNaught | Art Advisory. Each issue will bring you the works, makers and market moments that have caught my eye, along with news of my exhibitions and an advisor's view of where value lies.
I am writing just after Frieze week. The tents in Regent's Park are coming down, I have finally had that croissant, and my notebook is full of conversations that will keep me busy well into the new year.
In this first issue: the enduring charm of Robert "Mouseman" Thompson, why David Hockney's Paper Pools prints keep climbing, my upcoming Jack Knox exhibition in Edinburgh, and how I can help with your own collection. I do hope you enjoy it.
Of Mice and Oak: The Enduring Charm of Robert Thompson
There are few signatures as beloved as a small carved mouse. Robert "Mouseman" Thompson's adzed English oak is having another moment in the spotlight, celebrated in a recent HTSI design feature, and the auction rooms agree.
A mouse in the cornice. Thompson was born in 1876 in Kilburn, a village in the Hambleton Hills on the edge of the North York Moors. In 1919, while working on a cornice, he remarked "I'll carve a mouse here", and did. He registered the mouse as a trademark in 1931, by which time commissions had come from Ampleforth and, in the 1930s, Westminster Abbey and York Minster (Robert Thompson's Craftsmen).
Still made in Kilburn. Thompson died in 1955, but the family workshop continues in the village today. Every piece still carries the mouse, which is part of the appeal: these are heirlooms that are used daily, not kept behind glass.
What the market is saying. Early pieces from the 1920s and 1930s lead the way:
A 1930 dresser from the Horlicks collection made £35,000 at Sworders, the 47-lot collection totalling £236,000.
In October 2025, a rare carving, Fighting Stallions, set a new auction record for a Mouseman carving at £15,000 at Tennants, where the Mouseman section alone totalled £201,090.
In the same sale a 1929 oak bureau made £13,000.
My view. Provenance and date are everything. Early, documented pieces with good colour and a crisp mouse are the ones to watch. Later pieces remain an accessible way to own a piece of British craft history. All prices are hammer, excluding buyer's premium.
Making a Splash: David Hockney's Paper Pools
David Hockney's print market has never been stronger. Hockney prints made £15.8 million across 389 lots at auction in 2025, up 197% year on year, and the average price more than doubled to £40,500 (MyArtBroker, The Hockney Print Market Report 2026).
The story behind the pools. In 1978, at Ken Tyler's workshop in upstate New York, Hockney made his celebrated Paper Pools by pressing dyed paper pulp into water-soaked sheets. In 1980 came the book Paper Pools, with a signed lithograph, Pool Made With Paper And Blue Ink For Book, in an edition of 1,000. For many collectors it is the most accessible way to own one of Hockney's best-loved images.
Where prices stand. The lithograph has sold 66 times at auction since 2021, totalling £2.4 million (MyArtBroker). After peaking in 2022, average prices eased in 2024 and have since recovered to their strongest level in four years:
MyArtBroker, Hockney swimming pool prints report, updated 10 August 2026 · 2022–2026
The record stands at £65,000 (Phillips London, January 2023), and a copy made £55,000 at Christie's London in March 2026. Current market estimates sit at around £40,000–£60,000 (MyArtBroker).
The rarer pool prints. Scarcity drives the top end. Afternoon Swimming (1980, edition of 55) rose from about £36,700 in 2012 to over £300,000 at Christie's New York in 2021, and made about £180,500 in October 2025.
My view. With a large edition, condition and provenance make the difference: a crisp, unfaded sheet with its book provenance will always lead. Now that prices are recovering, this is a sensible moment to buy well or review the value of a work you already own. Prices are hammer, excluding buyer's premium; past performance is no guide to future value.
Coming Soon:
James D S McNaught | Curated x Jack Knox
17th – 28th November · Open daily, 10am – 3pm · 17 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh
I am thrilled to announce my next exhibition, dedicated to the wonderful Jack Knox.
Jack Knox (1936 – 2015) was one of Scotland's most celebrated artists, known for his playful, vibrant and distinctly modern take on the everyday. His work brings together pop art, domestic interiors and a love of popular culture, often featuring flowers, food and familiar household objects.
The exhibition spans painting and works on paper. Knox's work isn't just about what he saw; it's about how it made him feel. Expect bold colour, sharp wit and a great deal of joy.
Do come and see the show in Stockbridge. If you would like a preview of the works or to reserve a piece before opening, please get in touch.
How I Can Help
James D S McNaught | Art Advisory offers independent advice for private clients and collections. I have spent over a decade immersed in the fine and decorative arts, with a background in collecting and provenance research supported by studies in art law and taxation. My aim is to bring clarity and insight to areas that often feel opaque.
Acquisitions & Buying. Independent guidance to help you buy with confidence in the global art market.
Collections Management. Protecting, valuing and preserving your collection's legacy.
Logistics & Loans. Seamless coordination so your art is always in safe hands.
Sales & Disposals. Strategic advice to achieve the best outcome for your works.
Find out more at jamesdsmcnaught.com, or simply get in touch for a conversation about your collection.
Looking Ahead to 2027
I am busy planning the 2027 schedule of Curated exhibitions and events, and I would love to build it with others who share a passion for beautiful things.
I am looking for partners across the creative world: artists and makers, galleries, interior designers and architects, hospitality and venues, and brands with a real eye for craft. If you would like to collaborate on an exhibition, a dinner, a talk or something altogether new, please get in touch.
Until Next Time
Thank you for reading the first edition of Curated. If something here has caught your eye, whether a Mouseman piece, a Hockney print or a Jack Knox for your wall, I would love to hear from you.
With warmest wishes,
James
James D S McNaught | Art Advisory
Instagram: Advisory @jamesdsmcnaught · Curated @jamesdsmcnaughtcurated
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