Cotmania. Vol. VII. 1931-2

Sept 14, 1931 Went to Norwich, from Blakeney. P. M. Turner was at Castle Museum, Saw the sepia of Caistor Castle, wh[ich] Leney bought for 4.10.0 at Fred Johnson's sale. It is the original drawing for the engraving in 'The Excursions thro' N[or]f[ol]k'. As it was not convenient to see the Crown P[oin]t Coll[ection] I went on to KIdlington: but bought 12 of the proof autotypes from 'The Architect' 1888, from Hunt.
Oct 3. Called at Stonegates. Left my 'Ousterham' & took away R.H.K.'s 'Interior of Ch[urch] in Normandy', also 40 of his Cotman late sketches.
Oct 6. Went to the Evelyn Coll[ectio]n at York. The 4 drawings of York Bars which Mr. Shaw of 5 Margaret Rd. Harrogate told Leney he thought were Cotmans, are certainly not. They are weak things by a disciple of Prout.
Oct 15. F. F. Madan [?] called to see my Cotmans, & spent 3½ hours here.
Oct 19. Duke & Madan dined with me. We went on to Duke's house. Saw the pencil drawing he bought at Sotheby's, a group of men in a rocky cave – v[er]y good, c. 1822-3. Also an early w[ater]c[olour] with 'Old John Crome' on mount. It is certainly an early J.S.C. 1800-1801 & very good. Also a late pencil landscape, not very convincing, tho' 'Barmouth Sands' is about the best very early Cotman I know.
Oct 20. H. Bell told me in the Club he had offered 100£ for a Cotman sea-scape in Colnaghi's window. They asked £125, – but sent the