Cornish Cottage....?

S.E Mann?

 

That's close to my suggestion

 

Sniped! I was only a few hours late

 

I think it’s good to keep in mind , how many really good but unknown amateur and professional painters there has been throughout the years so it is always possible to get a really nice piece of art which although signed , it doesn’t have to be a well known artist , I spend a lot of time at auctions investigating painters and signatures .

 

Don't tell the Cornees that Cornwall is in England, for god's sake.

That whole title is an act of war.

 

The signature is "A. Seemann." That's why there is a "." after the "A" (to indicate it is an initial.) There also may be more of the signature that was cut off by the frame, since there was an "E.A. Seemann," author of a small book called "Color Reproductions of Old and Modern Masters." (There might be a connection.)

The confusion as to whether the first "e" is actually an "&" is due to two factors:

First the "e" is written differently than we are used to (evidenced by the second "e" which is also darker...most likely because the writer had to re-dip the pen or brush). Both are written identically, however.

The problem is, the first "e" is written over a line in the picture itself, that is the same lighter color as the "e." The line comes down through the "e" making it appear to be an "&."

This is more clear in the enlargement, and probably even better to discern on the picture itself.