I was sent a photo recently by my history-lovin’ friend, Carol Robertson White, that led me down a rabbit hole into 1800s photography. The photo is branded L. L. De Anquinos and lists Bell Buckle as a branch gallery.
I discovered that Lawrence L. De Anquinos was a prominent photographer during the late 19th and early 20th century. He was the son of world-renowned photographer Alexander de Anquinos, who was born in Andalusia, Spain. Alex migrated to New York when he was 16, marking the beginning of a storied career. Alex studied photography and honed his craft and it was said “in artistic finish, he has no superior in the United States”. From 1863-1873, his work won first prize each year at the American Institute Fair. In 1888, he began incorporating electricity into his photography paving the way for ground-breaking techniques.
Alex relocated to Tennessee and opened up a studio in Murfreesboro. 13 year-old son Lawrence got his start in his father’s photography business washing wet plates. Eventually, he joined his father and the pair became known as A. De Anquinos & Son – Artistic Photographers.
I found the De Anquinos name associated with photography galleries in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Pulaski, Lebanon, Gallatin, Franklin, and yes even little Bell Buckle. The newspapers also mention the possibility of a Shelbyville studio opening in 1887. They traveled around offering limited time sessions at the studios. Get your pictures while you can!
Alex passed away in 1889 and Lawrence continued the business, running it as his own. In the early 1890s, Lawrence opened a studio in New York where his father once worked.
There is a curious observation made on the 1899 Bell Buckle Sanborn Fire Map. A photo studio is located on what was then Main Street (now Webb Road). Could this have been the De Anquinos studio? This remains a mystery for now.
Regardless, the De Anquinos photographers considered the artistic and photogaphic needs of both metropolises and the quaint little corners of the countryside, including the village of Bell Buckle. Next time you’re in an antique store, it may be worth looking through old photos to see if you can catch any of their work!
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