Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Coney, John
CONEY, JOHN (1786–1833), draughtsman and engraver, was born in Ratcliff Highway, London, in 1786. He was apprenticed to an architect, but never followed the profession. Among his early studies were pencil drawings of the interior of Westminster Abbey; these he sold principally to dealers. In 1806 he exhibited at the Royal Academy a 'Perspective View of Lambeth Palace,' and resided at 39 Craven Street, Strand. Coney's first publication was a work entitled 'A Series of Views representing the Exterior and Interior of Warwick Castle . . . with an accurate plan and brief account of that . . . example of British Architecture,' Lon-don, fol., 1815. The plates were drawn and etched by himself. He was next employed for fourteen years by Harding to draw and engrave a series of exterior and interior views of the cathedrals and abbey churches of England, intended to illustrate the new edition of Sir William Dugdale's 'Monasticon,' edited by Sir Henry Ellis, &c., 8 vols., London, fol., 1846. In 1829 he commenced the engravings of the cathedrals, hotels de ville, town halts, &c., in France, Holland, Germany, and Italy, with descriptions in four languages. These were published in an imperial folio, 32 plates, London, 1832. The next important work, also engraved and designed by himself, was 'The Beauties of Continental Architecture,' 28 plates and 50 vignettes, fol., London, 1843. Cockerell, the eminent architect [q. v.], employed Coney to engrave a large view of Rome, and he also engraved some drawings of the Law Courts, Westminster, for Sir John Soane. Coney died of an enlargement of the heart in Leicester Place, Camberwell, on 15 Aug. 1833.
In addition to the above-mentioned works he was the author of 'English Ecclesiastical Edifices of the Olden Time,' 2 vols, largo fol., London, 1842 (the plates in this book previously used in Dugdale's 'Monasticon'), and 'Original Drawings of London Churches,' London, 8vo, 1820. There is in the department of prints and drawings in the British Museum a fine set of Coney's etched and engraved works, besides several original drawings. He exhibited at the Royal Academy ten works between 1805 and 1821.
[Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists of the English School, 1878; manuscript notes in the British Museum.]