 | |
| Company type | Private (1766–1974) Subsidiary (1974–76) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Art materials |
| Founded | 1766 in London |
| Founder | William Reeves |
| Defunct | 1976 [1] |
| Fate | Acquired by Reckitt and Colman in 1974, merged to Winsor & Newton in 1976, then other owners [1] |
| Successor | Colart Fine Art and Graphics |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | Watercolour paints |
| Owner | Colart |
Reeves and Sons is an English art materials brand and a former manufacturing company established by William Reeves (1739–1803) in 1766.[1][2] Reeves is credited with having invented the soluble watercolour.[3]
The brand is best known for its "Reeves" brand of artists' acrylic and watercolor paints. The firm went through various name changes during its history, listed as follows:
- Thomas Reeves and Son 1784–1799
- W. J. Reeves 1799–1800
- Reeves and Woodyer 1800–1816
- Reeves, Woodyer and Reeves 1817–1818
- W. J. Reeves and Son 1819–1829
- Reeves and Sons 1830–1890
- Reeves and Sons Ltd 1891–1976
In 1974, the company was acquired by Reckitt and Colman, and then merged with Winsor and Newton, following Reckitt and Colman's acquisition in 1976 of the latter company. In 1991, ownership of the "Reeves" brand was acquired by Wilhelm Becker, through American conglomerate Colart.[4]
