Featured Deco? Pen an' Ink Galleon, Odd Sky, Huge Flag: Reeves, 192?

The frame is 10 3/4" by 7 3/4"; the image is 7 1/8" by 4 1/4".
The look is as if matted, but it isn't; the image ground is white, the 'mat' is a blueish gray, but as far as I can see it's all one surface...I dunno how that's done. The stylized sea-surface, clouds an' particularly the sky lead me to say Deco, but I'm not sure about that. Note the scale of the flag against her transom...an' its absence of any image.
Reeves' signature is crisp an' clean...but the date (if that's what it is) has lost its final digit in the ~0.050" border; it's probably in the '20's, but what seems to be a 9 may be a 4...in which case I doubt it is a date.
Overall the image appears quite accomplished to my unskilled eye, so I'm hoping Reeves is a known name, an' that some of you will be able to shed some good light on Reeves an' their works. Thanks for lookin'!.

 

Reeves would have been an illustrator, not a fine artist. Unlikely you'll ever identify him/her as many talented but unsung commercial illustrators in the era.

Debora

 

I cannot disagree, Debora...but I can Hope!
EDIT:
I asked Google; here's what popped up:
AI Overview
The American illustrator you are likely looking for is
Ruth Reeves(1892–1966), who was active in the 1920s and beyond. Though primarily known as a textile designer and painter, she also worked as an illustrator, notably for Women's Wear magazine in the early 1920s before she went to Paris to study with Fernand Léger. She is known for her Modernist and Cubist-influenced work, especially her innovative textiles, and was a key figure in American modernism.
EDIT:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Reeves

 

I reviewed Ruth Reeves work before I responded and do not think yours looks like her work. (Also, her signatures found on-line are all "Ruth Reeves".) The galleon at sail is a very cliched image of the 1920s-ish and unlikely to be a subject that would interest her. Ruth was an avant-garde artist, studying with Fernand Léger in Paris in the 1920s.

Debora

 

popular subject for books..

 

Sigh...I had such sweet hopes.
Anyway...Pirates frequently used all-black flags, which served as a warning to other ships before an attack. These flags signaled that the pirates intended to attack but would allow the crew a chance to surrender and live if they cooperated (giving "quarter"). If the ship did not surrender, the pirates would then hoist a red flag, indicating that no quarter would be given and no mercy would be shown. (This is another AI response).

 

never seen that in a movie though........

 

I had a set of book plates with an illustration very similar.

 

Looks like a block print to me, rather than pen and ink. I imagine the "mat" was laid down with a silkscreen separate from the image print.

 

totally thought the same, its definitely got all the characteristics of a wood block or similar

 

Well, folks...I took it out of the frame. It was matted, with thin light blue paper, an' held right against the glass by a heavy corrugated cardboard backing only. Acid? damage to the paper the image is on can easily be seen in the last pic below.
It is, however, pen and ink, verified with a 10X loupe.
The best part, though, is what removal of the mat revealed below the image; Chas. F. Reeves, Dec. 1926.
I haven't gone any further yet, but Mr. Reeves may be a known illustrator, an' I'm seriously on his trail as soon as I return from getting my annual Flu an' Covid inoculations.
More as it happens, right here!

 

I'm not finding any thing on a Charles F. Reeves, illustrator.

Debora

 

Oh, NO! How can that BE? I was so SURE! Sigh.
Thanks, Debora...

 

i think i do see variations in the black of the sea, but some aspects do look a classic print so i reckon its a ................ confusasaurus (can't spell check that)

oh i don't know you've got it in hand so can probably tell better

crazy how professional something can look....and have a clear signature and yet result in NOTHING

and it happens way more than you would think as well

 

who's the idiot framer ??

 

This is getting weird, and a little annoying. I came to this party a little late, and when I did a google image search the AI response seemed to be following the development of the story here. I repeated the search a couple of times, and it changed each time, incorporating more information from our thread. The first time, it quoted Debora's line of "many talented but unsung commercial illustrators in the era" exactly.

This is the latest version of the AI response -

"The user's text "Reeves" likely refers to the artist's signature on the artwork in the image, which is discussed in the provided webpage content. The artist's full signature, revealed after the owner removed the matting, is Chas. F. Reeves, and the date is December 1926. The artwork is a pen and ink drawing, not a print as initially suspected.
Information gathered from external sources did not definitively identify Charles F. Reeves as a known illustrator or fine artist. While a famous artist named Ruth Reeves was identified, her work and signature style do not match the image provided. It is likely that Chas. F. Reeves was one of many talented but commercially unknown illustrators of the era."

Just checked again. I did an image search and entered "Reeves" where it says "Ask a Follow Up". This was after I had followed some links for similar images, which were bookplates -

"The artwork is a pen and ink drawing created by an illustrator named Chas. F. Reeves and dated December 1926.
Information from external sources and forums suggests that Chas. F. Reeves was likely a commercial illustrator, rather than a fine artist, and is not a widely known name. The galleon at sail was a very common subject in the 1920s-era commercial art. The specific artist could not be definitively identified in professional art databases.
The image is similar to other nautical bookplates and block prints from the same era, which may have served as book illustrations or personal bookplates (ex libris)."

It is bad enough that our photos are almost immediately available. At least they are usually accompanied by links that refer people back to Antiquers. None of the links included in the AI responses referred back to this site, although it is clear our work was being monitored and used. I am not sure how I feel about our discussions and research becoming AI fodder.

 

Gone, most certainly, to their just reward.
Sh*t doesn't happen...but Karma does.

 

I'm right there with you, Books...the only comfort I can personally draw from your very surprising pair of examples is this: by the time AI decides it's time to cleanse the ol' mudball of the scum that whelped it, I'll either be long gone, Baby...or watch the entire shit-show from my porch. inna rockin' chair. The Genie is long outta th' bottle...ain't no jamming' it back now. We along fer th' ride, eh?

 

it seems to be getting worse to be honest not better. i was initially impressed and it seems to have its uses

but it can't do SQUAT with a signature or mark, and answers confidently with absolute jumble that has no thought that some will take as golden

nah.....i'm sticking with experts

 

I know how I feel, but we can't do anything about it.