Need Help Indentifying Artist's Signature

It seems like a deco piece to me, but I'm not sure since the canvas is stapled. The artist's name or initials is very hard to make out, and seems to be smudged into the paint (maybe the butt-end of the brush?).

I was hoping someone with a better eye and experience will be able to identify something I haven't been able to. So far I've had no luck via the internet/other forums.

 

so......on those other forums....did you show them the reverse....or tell them where you are...where your grand folks came from...or may have purchased this work.....or what size it is..????

we here don't work on luck......we need information to help get things done !

so...help us, to help you..........please!

 

Hi and WELCOME, @OrganicBurrito!! After some Photoshop manipulation, the best I can come up with is 'Neale' for an artist....Nice painting, and maybe others can help you a lot more!!
And from the look of the head dresses on the women and the boats, wild guess here.....could it be Dutch????? Also, @komokwa is correct, the more information you can provide here, the more the members can try to help you!!!

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Appreciate you trying to help! I did some PS editing myself to try and enhance the name. I was stuck on "Neal" as well.. I've went through hours of research trying to find similar styled paintings by an artist name Neal or Neale, and have had no luck. But we'll keep on trying!

 

u no there's more than one way to skin a...................
don't you ?

 

I am new to this so I apologize for the lack of clarity.

We are from the Boston, MA area. My family has roots in Italy and Ireland. The painting is roughly 3 feet in width, and 2 1/2 feet in height. They were not art collectors, and this was the only painting they owned. It was mounted with display lighting, which always stood out to me.

 

@Any Jewelry, any input???

 

Ah, you mean possibly Dutch? I think Dutch-inspired, the costumes look Dutch-ish, but they are not the real deal.
It looks more like Breton women meeting up with a few Dutch fishermen who just bought new caps in northern Germany. They are widely traveled, our fishermen. Following the herring shoals.

 

I initially gave some thought to the idea that they were wearing British military uniforms (Red Coats).. I am from the Boston, MA area.. so it fit the narrative

 

Looks like a decorative painting to me. I cannot see the "seams" on the mitered corners of the wide part of the frame, but I cannot tell if that's because there aren't any and this is an overlaid part of the frame, or if simply I cannot see them because the frame is cut off? Please show a photo of the back.

 

The paint exceeds the edges of the canvas and then stapled to the wooden framing. I am picking up the painting next week so I cannot provide a photo, but I found an image on google that is similar. Might not be too helpful because I didn't get a very good look at the wood framing itself.

 

staples are not a good sign of age or quality.......
but that's not carved in stone...

 

To my experience, this lack of excess canvas abundance also points towards a "decorative" painting..

Staples are perfectly ok on a contemporary piece, or on a restretched painting.
I found I could get a much tighter "stretch" on the fabric by using staples.