Little is known about James Francis Dunn.

In August 2019, Wikipedia had a one-line entry: "James Francis Dunn (1874-1921) was an American architect who designed many buildings in San Francisco, California."

An article by Dave Weinstein in the San Francisco Chronicle provided an appreciation of several of Dunn's buildings along with some autobiographical information. According to Mr. Weinstein, Dunn was born and raised by a widowed mother in an Irish, working-class neighborhood South of Market. He taught himself architecture. He mastered Parisian architecture by studying the latest journals. In later years, he traveled throughout the United States, and probably visited France.

San Francisco Planning Department Landmark Designation Case Report 2016-010894DES, dated 15 March 2017, enumerated architectural features which characterize Dunn's style:

"Dunn is best is known as a designer of multi-unit residential buildings in the Beaux-Arts style. His designs often featured curved balconies and bay windows, delicate ironwork, and exuberant ornamentation, including animal and human faces. Decorative details like cartouches and shields are common. Dunn used eagles or phoenixes to support balconies and cornices. Many of his buildings have a broad, heavily ornamented cornice and a rusticated first story topped with a belt course, defining the ground level from the upper, full-living levels.

"He also experimented with Art Nouveau, Mission Revival, Moorish, Classical Revival, French Renaissance, and Baroque styles."

Dunn's most famous building is the Chambord Apartment Building on Nob Hill.