Additional Images

Provenance:

Douglas M. Duncan Collection, Toronto; Collection of Norman J. Endicott, Toronto;
By descent to his grandson, Toronto

Literature:

See “Douglas Duncan A Memorial Portrait”, edited by Alan Jarvis, University of Toronto Press, 1974: “Norman Endicott”, pgs. 16 - 26;

George Melly, It’s All Writ Out for You: The Life and Work of Scottie Wilson, 1986

Note:

The following works by Scottie Wilson (Lots 88 to 93) from the Collection of Norman Endicott, the consignor’s grandfather, were acquired via Douglas Duncan when he left Norman Endicott land in Muskoka. Norman learned about Scottie’s work through Douglas Duncan who collected Scottie’s works. Norman was wealthy and may have helped Scottie through Douglas. Norman wrote about Douglas Duncan. Douglas devoted a chapter to Norman in the book cited above.

Wilson was born in the United Kingdom, moved to Toronto, Canada, and later returned to his native England. In Toronto, Wilson opened up a thrift store. Here became fascinated by a pen that came into the second-hand store. Though the details of the event vary, Wilson recounts, “‘I’m listening to classical music one day – Mendelssohn – when all of a sudden I dipped the bulldog pen into a bottle of ink and started drawing – doodling I suppose you’d call it – on the cardboard tabletop. I don’t know why. I just did. In a couple of days – I worked almost ceaselessly – the whole of the tabletop was covered with little faces and designs. The pen seemed to make me draw, and them images, the faces and designs just flowed out. I couldn’t stop – I’ve never stopped since that day (p. 9).’”