Existing comment:
J. Gurney's Premium Daguerreotype Gallery, 349 Broadway, New York
In October 1852, Gurney expanded his enterprise by opening a spacious new gallery in a five-story building at 349 Broadway -- some twelve blocks north of his original studio at 189 Broadway. Located on a fashionable stretch of New York City's principal commercial thoroughfare, Gurney's new gallery enjoyed close proximity to popular stores, entertainment venues, and hotels that attracted a broad clientele. Gurney continued to do business at his 189 Broadway location until February 1853, when it was announced that he would close that branch and consolidate operations at his 349 Broadway address.
In this advertisement, Gurney proclaims his gallery to be "the largest and most perfect Daguerreotype establishment in the United States." He also emphasizes his personal supervision of the operating department, which "contains three immense skylights, arranged on scientific principles, for the admission of one unbroken and steady flood of light, the thing most essential to secure a favorable picture."
John William Orr (1815–1887)
Wood engraving, 1854
Published in Abner D. Jones, Illustrated American Biography, 1854
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution |