A 19th and 20th century print seller, Nick was one of an ever-diminishing generation of dealers for whom the thrill of the chase meant everything.
After leaving school he became a journalist; however, he was soon to abandon this career to form a highly successful partnership, with a lifelong friend, Hilary Gerrish.
The pair flourished throughout the 1970s, a period when countless treasures were to be found in country sales, to which they sped to in various exotic cars.
Their gallery, in Mason’s Yard, St James’s, enabled them to take advantage of the new, vibrant, art market which had emerged under the influence of Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
True buccaneer
Nick’s buccaneering style led to the purchase of a Welsh goldmine which was to create the legend remembered by one of his peers as “the most romantic car journey ever taken with an art dealer”, when he found himself hurtling down Kensington Church Street in the passenger seat of a bright red Ferrari, ankle-deep in rocks that glistened with gold.
Nick began to work independently in the 1980s and moved to the US for several years where he made wonderful discoveries while speeding up and down I-95, much to his dismay at 55mph, while at the same time deconstructing and reconstructing yet another historic house.
On his return to England over 20 years ago, accompanied by his wife Lauren, whom he had met at the New York Print Fair, he settled in Bath where he started Larkhall Fine Art.
From his gallery in Margaret’s Buildings, Nick held exhibitions of his favourite artists: William Blake, Samuel Palmer, Eric Gill, Robin Tanner and Ben Nicholson.
Natural modesty
Highly respected in the international print world, Nick’s natural modesty hid, from many, his wide knowledge which led to spectacular discoveries in fields as diverse as photography, paintings, decorative arts, furniture and books.
The Lott dynasty continues through his son Oliver, a chip off the old block, who has opened a dealership in New York and, to his father’s delight, leaps from one triumph to another.
Lauren, with the help of the family, will continue to run Larkhall Fine Art.
From family and friends
