Cotmania. Vol. I. 1926-7

The most unconventional "lot" in Christie's sale yesterday was the canvas on which Mr. Philip de Laszlo undertook to paint a portrait, the cost of which is to go without any deduction to The Times National Police Fund. The result was a net addition of £735. The day's sale was otherwise made up of pictures and drawings, the property of the late Mr. John F. Howarth, of Priory Court, Wimbledon, of Lady Weston, of Mrs. Derwent Wood, and from other sources, the total being £11,078. The Howarth property comprised a number of choice drawings, one by J.S. Cotman, a river scene with a castle, 1830, which brought 440 guineas (Godden and Fox); it was bought in 1918 for 370 guineas; two by David Cox, "Flying the Kite," a windy day on a common, 1853 - 1,500 guineas (Agnew); and "Ploughing," - 110 guineas (Vicars); one by Copley Fielding, the Glyddr Mountains - 150 guineas (Dunthorne); three by J.M.W. Turner, Pembroke Castle, engraved by T. Jeavons in 1831 for "England and Wales" -1,000 guineas; Tintern Abbey, the transept - 260 guineas; and Dover, from Shakespeare's Cliff, engraved in 1826 for "The South Coast" - 700 guineas; P de Wint, haymaking near Norwich - 280 guineas - these were all purchased by Messrs. Agnew. Mrs Derwent Wood's drawing, which totalled £1,261, were chiefly remarkable for the small but well-preserved examples of J S Cotman, many of which were exhibited at the National Gallery, Millbank, in 1922. They included "The Lake" - 180 guineas; a rocky landscape, sunset - 185 guineas; "The Shepherds" - 215 guineas; a mountain view - 110 guineas; all purchased by Messrs. Agnew; and a beach scene with boat and fisherfolk - 190 guineas (Gooden and Fox). Other properties included: P Nasmyth, a wooden landscape, 1828 - 300 guineas (Agnew); Sir L. Alma-Tadema, "Between Hope and Fear," 1877 - 380 guineas (Sampson); J.S.Sargent, head of a girl with gold earrings, inscribed "To my friend Mr Branson" - 135 guineas(Cintas); W Greaves, portrait of J.M.Whistler holding a palette - 28 guineas (Bale); and Sir H. von Herkomer, "The Foster Mother," 1892 - 200 guineas (Sampson). The Times 26.6.26