Cotmania. Vol. IX. 1933-4

I forget when you were away. But you were away before Feb 28th when there was on the floor at Foster's framed & I think called Turner a very early, rather faded blue brown Cotman- a church tower with plains beyond seen from a hill above. Probably a Monro period, Surrey drawing. I did my best but all the gang were there & Thompson or Squire or both bought it for £9.10.0.

March 2nd Christie's. Banks of the Yare oil. Very good in the flat patterned 1806-10 manner. Cost a lot of money. I forget how much. You should have had it.

Sotheby's March 7th- Perhpas the worst assemblage of Spencer signed rubbish that ever came to the auction room. There were 2 or 3 genuine Cotman pencil scraps in lots 11, 13, & 19. In Lot 11. Beach under the Cliff dated Feb 7 1831, a sheer monstrosity. I'm not quite sure but I think that the genuine Cotman in Lot 19 was not the Lynmouth catalogued as s. & d. 7.7.35.

Christie's 16.3 - Drinkwater's interior of a Norman Church 1817 (lot 7), arches, was genuine & stiff. His lot 43 oil was certainly not Cotman.
Lot 84 was a very mannered copy or J.J, bought by Mrs W. G Constable. My remarks upon it have nearly bust up my relations with the