Royal Commonwealth Society : Photographs of the Bahamas

Coonley, Jacob Frank, fl 1850-1909, photographer

Royal Commonwealth Society

<p style='text-align: justify;'>A collection of loose photographs measuring approximately 225 x 175 mm. The photographs have, for the most part, printed captions stating location and photographer's name. Photographed by J.F. Coonley.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Jacob Frank Coonley was originally a sign and ornamental artist in New York whose business fell off in the panic of 1857. Circa 1857, Coonley studied daguerreotype photography with George Barnard and with him opened a studio. By 1861 Coonley was working with Barnard for Matthew Brady. In 1864 he made a contract with the Quartermaster General to photograph railroad construction in Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. In the early 1880s Coonley worked with J. M. Mora (famous for portraits of theatrical personalities) at 707 Broadway, New York. Circa 1889 he moved to Nassau, advertising a studio at the corner of Bay and Parliament Streets. In the 1890s he moved to a studio in the Masonic Buildings.</p>