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Younger son of Alexander Finlay who founded the family business in 1802 having previously been in partnership for 7 years. John Finlay (1805-72) was born in Glasgow on 7 June 1805. He entered into partnership with his older brother Robert in about 1832, as described above. He was recorded in the 1837 directory trading as J. & M. Finlay, that is presumably with his wife, Margret (as suggested by John Riddell).

J. & M. Finlay produced a trade catalogue as carvers, gilders, printsellers, booksellers and stationers to the King, and a revised version by appointment to the Queen, both probably in 1837, advertising gilt frames for pictures and engravings, or of rose or maple wood, of all sizes and the newest patterns, as well as a wide range of artists’ materials including Newman’s and Ackermann’s watercolours (Mitchell Library, Glasgow, bound in Joseph Swan's Lakes of Scotland (914 128 Fle), information from George Fairfull-Smith, June 2013).

Following his first wife’s death, John Finlay married Mary Anne Alexander in 1845. The same year, he became a Glasgow Burgess (see Anderson p.458). In censuses, Finlay can be found in 1841 as a printseller in the parish of Cathcart, with his first wife Margret (information from John Riddell), in 1851 untraced, in 1861 at 4 Crescent Place, as a carver and gilder and printseller, employing seven men and nine boys, with his wife, Marianne Eliza, and seven children and in 1871 at 141 Renfrew St, formerly a printseller with his wife and six children.

John Finlay was an agent for the Art-Union magazine in Glasgow in 1839 (The Art-Union, September 1839, p.141). He assisted the portrait painter, John Kelso Hunter, in 1844 by allowing him to exhibit a portrait on his premises to raise funds (John Kelso Hunter, Retrospect of an Artist's Life, 1868, pp.253-4). From 1846 Finlay frequently advertised recently completed paintings for exhibition at his picture gallery, including the late Thomas Duncan’s Prince Charles Edward asleep… after the Battle of Culloden in 1846, Richard Ansdell’s The Death of the Stag in 1847 and Landseer’s The Stag at Bay in 1848 (Glasgow Herald 23 March 1846, 9 July 1847, 22 May 1848). He advertised a sale of engravings at very low prices before his removal to new premises at 100-2 St Vincent St (Glasgow Herald 30 June 1854). Finlay showed paintings by Rosa Bonheur at his Gallery in 1859 (Glasgow Herald 25 April 1859).

Finlay was subject to a sequestration order in January 1860 (Edinburgh Gazette 6 January 1860). At the Glasgow bankruptcy court on 31 January 1860 he stated that he had been in business since 1832, initially in partnership with his late brother, Robert (Glasgow Herald 1 February 1860). He had lost money in the failure of the Western Bank two years ago, after which he had come to a private arrangement with his creditors to pay them 11s in the pound. He set out his liabilities and assets.

Later in 1860 Finlay held a sale of his stock (Glasgow Herald 21 May 1860) and moved to 24 Renfield St, where he continued in business on a reduced level but exhibiting Frith’s Derby Day in 1863 (Glasgow Herald 2 February 1863). By 1865 James Finlay, perhaps his son, was trading at his Gallery of Arts at 9 Renfield St (Glasgow Herald 23 December 1865). John Finlay died at 141 Renfrew St, age 66, in 1872.

Sources: James R. Anderson, ed., The Burgesses and Guild Bretheren of Glasgow 1751-1846, Scottish Record Society, 1935; George Fairfull-Smith, The wealth of a city: a 'glance' at the fine arts in Glasgow. vol.1: 1641-1830, 2010. Various dates of birth kindly supplied by John Riddell, February 2011.( vide;http://www.npg.org.uk/research/conservation/directory-of-british-framemakers/f.php; sourced 2015-08-20)