Cotmania. Vol. II. 1927-8

{Diary entries}
Friday Jan 27 1928. Dined with Paul Oppé at 18 Cheyne Gardens, Chelsea. Saw the following J.S.C's
(1) 1 or more monochrome 'Sketching Club' drawings: distant castle, woods, hills & water. Not altogether first rate.
(2) A glorious 'Greta' subject, the bank of a stream & water - no sky
(3) Langothlen [sic] - reproduced in 'The Norwich School' studio
(4) A large watercolour of a country house in Kent. Early, not good
(5) A pencil landscape, dated 1812.

Saturday Jan 28. 1928. Visited Rev: E Eland at Cuddington Rectory, Worcester Park, Surrey. Bought a small pencil landscape, signed & dated Jan 1829: also a monochrome drawing of a bridge, cows & a tower behind. Water & sky, blue. It was signed 'Edward Dayes' but I thought it might be a very early Cotman. I took it to C.F.Bell who pronounced it a modern fake: foreground from 'Liber Studiorum' (plate 8) 'Rustic Bridge' background from an engraving in Hearne's 'Monmouth' series.

Wednesday Feb 1 1928. Boswell sent me 2 drawings on approval -
(1) The ruined West End of a Norman Church. Watercolour drawing copy composition. Signature & date erased but seems to read 'J.S.Cotman'. Very bad condition especially sky. Brown ink for outline. The work was too hesitant to be J.S.C's - a very good pupil's copy (?Geldart) c. 12 x 9
(2) A beautiful little landscape, water, woods & a garden house, r, a country house, Elizabethan period with 2 round towers of a gatehouse. The condition faded & bad, especially on left. The pencil work too wild & nervous & the watercolour too spotty. I am almost sure the initials J.N.R are at the bottom of the drawing - possibly a copy by J N Rhodes (1809 - 1843) of a Cotman sold during one of JSC's visits to the Cholmeleys 1803, 1804, or 1805

Monday Jan 30. MWK and I visited Agnew's & she bought 'The Arquebusier' for me for a silver wedding present.