Cotmania. Vol. VII. 1931-2

May 30, 1932. Called at P. M. Turner’s, to get my ‘Ranya Castle’ & ‘boat on the Yare’, which he had photographed. His young man showed me a most interesting upright (c. 12” x 9”) of a tower of Carnarvon Castle, a rough sea in front with boats tossing about. ‘J. S. COTMAN’ – obviously c 1801 – very like my Seascape of 1801 but badly faded, & the sky marked where spots have been removed. He also has 2 of the Series which were varnished (Palser had them)[.] An earlyish group of boats on the water, with a cumulus sky is still quite good. An early Castle on a rock by the sea is more rubbed & spoilt. He also showed me a Sea Scape, c 12 x 15, c 1824 (?) with a splendid sky, but a boat in l[eft] foreground was very cursory [sketch of boat] with ½ moon reflection which was ugly.
Also a brilliantly coloured w[ater]c[olour] of the Etching, “The Wolf-hunter”, c 1832. Not very nice.
Colnaghi’s told me they had had, & had just sold a pencil drawing of Dutch boats, signed “J. S. Cotman”.