Cotmania. Vol. VII. 1931-2

Jan. 25, 1932. Went with W.A.L. to the Cartwright Memorial Hall, Bradford. Saw the 27 framed ‘Cotman’ drawings again. I have made notes in the list I made in 1926 (in Vol of Cotmania) about them. Saw Mr. Preston who gave me 5 magnificent large mounted photos of ‘Cotmans’ in the Gallery – only ‘the Great House at Andelys’ was a Cotman!
Went on to Matthews & Brooke, who seem to collect all the unsold ‘Cotmans’ in London. Bowden’s ‘Near Woodbridge’ was there, Paterson’s ‘Coxe’s Bay’ and ‘Distant View of Dieppe;’, a very ‘pretty’ M.E.C of a boat on the shore, which was labelled ‘J.S.C’ on my last visit.
Went on to see Spens[?], who seemed a better sort of man, but he had nothing attractive.
Feb: 2, 1932. Went with H. I. Kay, in his Car, to see J. Howard Barnes (Clyst House, Theydon Bois, Epping) – on the way we viewed a Venus (copy of a Titian) in a house at Palmer’s Green. (!)
Barnes, a pleasant elderly man, in a comfortable villa, with a crippled wife, is a great-nephew of J. S. Hayward, an amateur who died in [inserted: 1777-] 1822. (aged 45)
Barnes has an enormous w[ater]c[olour] Shipwreck c 4'.6" x 6'.0", by Hayward, hung on the stairs, & 2 large oils in the dining room, reminiscent of Gaspar Poussin.
Feb 3, 1932. Called at Walker’s to see his fat cattle exh[ibitio]n. He showed me 2 Cotman drawings – (1) A pencil study for Whitby, dated 1814, (which I bought) and a King’s College drawing copy “Well at South Repps” in Miles’ writing (?) & a printed stamp, ‘COTMAN.’