Michael Tomkinson was pivotal in the carpet manufacturing industry in the region – namely of Axminster carpets.
The successful businessman and renowned art collector was made Mayor of Kidderminster in 1887 and Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1892.
Tomkinson and his wife, Annie Porrit Stonehouse, were passionate collectors of Japanese art with part of the collection of art is being auctioned by Woolley & Wallis auctioneers in Salisbury on Thursday November 13.
Their collection grew to include thousands of diverse objects, such as ivory okimono carvings, netsuke toggles, lacquerware, ceramics, woodblock prints, swords, and bronzes.
Following his death in 1921, the extensive collection, which was housed at his home Franche Hall in Worcestershire, was sold at auction in London.
The Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford are among the institutions reported to have acquired pieces from his collection. Many pieces remained with the family, however, and some were also bought back.
A spokesperson for Woolley & Wallis said: “His passion was passed down generations however and we are delighted to also offer pieces collected by a direct descendant of Michael’s.
“It is expected the collection will sell for over £25,000.”
In 1869, Tomkinson formed a partnership with William Adam, a venture that would revolutionize the production of Axminster carpets and make them a staple in middle-class homes.
By 1876, their firm had grown to employ 800 people and had an international reputation.
Tomkinson’s business acumen extended to securing the UK patent rights for the ‘Spool Axminster’, which further solidified his fortune.
Tomkinson’s interest in Japanese culture wasn’t limited to collecting; he was an active member of the Japan Society, where he promoted cultural exchanges. He frequently lent pieces from his collection for exhibitions at museums and institutions, and he also gave numerous lectures on the subject.
In 1898, he published a two-volume catalogue of his entire collection, titled ‘A Japanese Collection’, which documented the thousands of objects housed at his home, Franche Hall, in Worcestershire.
