Cotmania. Vol. II. 1927-8

{diary entries}
Monday, June 25. went to Sir M. Sadler's with R.H.K. Saw his Cotmans again - & noted a small watercolour - c. 6½ x 9½ - dated 1802. Called 'the Fulling Mill' (some place in Wales) a female figure at a wooden trough in a shed. Very good condition, lovely thing. Also an indian ink 'Palling Church' - 627. Cotman 11. (?1811) - these 2 not noted at previous visit -
Wednesday June 27. dined with Oppé in Chelsea. R.H.K there. Was very much impressed with his sepia 'Mists on a mountain top & soldiers on guard' [which] he attributes to Girtin, but which must I think be J.S.C's finest Sketching Club effort. His new found Carnarvon, 10 x 13½, is the same subject as the Misses Bulwer's (6¼ x 10⅜) version. The early watercolour of a house, & gardeners is inscribed on back 'Pleston Place, Kent, Cotman c.1804. Can this be Preston Hall, 8 miles E of Canterbury, or Preston, close to Faversham? Oppé has a very beautiful pencil landscape inscribed 'Oct. 20 /22' with colour notes of the changing foliage.
Wednesday July 4. Saw a 'still life' at Boswell's: took it to Batchelor, who highly approved of it. He showed me a 'still life' oil of a shell, which he believed to be by J.S.C - very masterly. He gave me a lithograph of 'Granville'. Copied the catalogue of the 1834 sale at Spelman's. At Nurse's, next morning, saw several pencil sketches said to be by J.S.C - but all seemed to be pupils' work.