wish list: twentieth century watercolours and drawings

'Paul Roche' by Duncan Grant.

'Last Act. Queen of Spades' by Oliver Messel.

'Reunion in Vienna' by Rex Whistler.

Study for 'Saloon Bar' by Edward Le Bas. Inscribed by Duncan Grant 'For Duncan Grant from Edward Le Bas, 1940'.

All from Abbott and Holder on Museum Street, which happens to be my favourite place to browse pictures in the whole of London. No trip to the British Museum would be complete without a visit to this charming gallery. Taking up three floors of a pale blue townhouse, a stone's throw from the museum, Abbott and Holder specialise in British watercolours, prints and drawings. I could happily stay and riffle through the available sketches and paintings for hours on end...

To provide beautiful and interesting pictures affordable from income was the aim of Robert Abbott and Eric Holder’s partnership when they first dealt in 1936 during the Depression. For over over three quarters of a century it has remained their policy to stock pictures that are within the means of as broad a section of the population as possible. Most of their stock which includes work from 1750 to the present day is priced between £100 and £5,000. Possibly my favourite thing about Abbott and Holder? Should an attribution prove inaccurate, they will offer not only a complete refund but also a box of Black Magic chocolates by way of compensation.