Mystery artist...

Here is an original 1944 watercolor of New York harbor I have had for a while. It's about 20" x 26" and signed with a mark I can't identify. Any ideas who it might be?

 

Looks like a lithograph when zooming up close in your last picture

 

It does. You might want to do a Google Image search to see if its a multiple.

Debora

 

If you have nice magnifying glass or jewelers loop take a really close look and make sure it is painted. I will see if I can track down any similar works.

 

Is there anything on the back of the frame?

Debora

 

Hi Debora, This is definitely a watercolor. I deal in a lot of art and first thing I checked was the back of the frame and artwork itself. It has the look of illustration art, but I just cannot find the signature/initials anywhere. It is executed on illustration board. Thanks for your input! Steve

 

looked like a watercolour to me

 

Delighted that it's a watercolor. And it does look illustrative. Frame appears to be period. View of Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn piers. Skyline looks exaggerated but not really. Initials to my eye read MB but almost impossible to identify, I'd think.

Debora

 

Yes, it's a cool painting with warships in the Harbor. My hope has been that someone would recognize that cypher. I've scratched my head so much I'm bald!

 

Maybe WRB?

 

Here's a vintage 1950s postcard with almost the same perspective.

Debora

 

Still really not convinced this is a original watercolor. Looks to smooth. I zoomed up in your last picture you posted and took a pic. To me it looks pretty flat. Anyway you could post more pics close up?

 

Here are a few more pics. I took the painting out of its frame and it is clearly a watercolor. It looks like something that would show up in an old Saturday Evening Post. Thanks for your help! Steve

 

I think most watercolors...are flat...?

 

HI Steve, could you possibly post a higher res image of the whole image please? These are pretty small, low res. Would love to see it better.

 

Those pictures are better. Now it looks like an original. The first two you posted didnt look right at first . I guess it was a little darker than the second pics.

 

I'm sorry, but these are as good as I've been able to make. The normal files are too large to put on this website. That being said, I already know the painting is a real watercolor, know the location, and the date produced (1944). My only question is whose cipher/signature is it? It's definitely a professional, but I can't find anyone who has seen this cipher before.