Cotmania. Vol. IV. 1929-30

March 27. 1930. Went to Christie's. No. 1 (in next day's sale) is Carvarvon Castle. A v[er]y early watercolour of a turret, on which the s.g. [soft ground] etching 32 is based. V[er]y bad condition like an early Varley. a noble but immature drawing. No. 39 was a charming w.c. of an old cottage '892 J S Cotman.' c.1809-10 - but badly foxed in essential places. There was also an 'Extensive Landscape' by Thirtle. w.c. on wired paper, early; had many of the characteristics of my sepia 'Norfolk River.' {sketch} & {sketch} - proving conclusively my 'Cotman' sepia is by Thirtle. (Fetched 13 gs [guineas] - with a small oil seascape)
3 more Cornelius Varley Sepias. bought by me for 1 guinea.
A good many D. Cox sepias. A large sepia by R Wilson (from Percy Sale) dull.
March 29-31. Motored to Chalmington. I thought his 'St Botolph's Abbey' most attractive: 'the Cows in the Water' delicious and the 'Brignall Banks' one of the great Cotmans.
The large almost monochrome Girtin - surely one of the best - N D L now identifies as Ilkley. They have a sepia Windmill. 'P. S. Munn 1800.' inscribed on back. 'Sketch from Cunningham's Poem
High upon the daisied hill
Rising from the slope of trees
How the wings of yonder Mill
Labour in the busy breeze.
Hamlets, villages, & spires
In the scattered landscape lie
Till the distand view expires
Closing in an Azure sky."
[Guillemart] has 2 drawings, 1 by Cotman the other by Alexander, done May 2 1802
quotation from Cunningham - Sketching Society. P. S. Munn was present.
N D L has a pencil late Cotman of a ruined Castle, which he has treated with a bath of Milton. It has come out perfectly clean.