Important Silversmiths - Cooke & Kelvey
The company was founded in Calcutta by Thomas Cooke and Charles Kelvey and retailed silver, diamonds, pearls and clocks. Cooke and Kevey were in fact known as jewellers, gold and silversmiths and watchmakers.
According to the Cyclopedia of India (The Cyclopedia of India: Biographical, Historical, Administrative, Commercial, Volume 1, 1907) Cooke and Kelvey were contractors to the Local Government and retailed silver for Royals, Indian princes and nobility and Western aristocrats. Thanks to their growing success, in 1896 they opened a second branch at The Mall, Simla, in 1896.
They mostly designed silver plates and items for state occasions such as silver jugs, trays, caskets, cups and state chairs: ‘their splendid display of solid silver, testimonial plates, electroplate, clocks, watches, etc. stands unrivalled’ (The Cyclopedia of India: Biographical, Historical, Administrative, Commercial, Volume 1, 1907).
The company is still active nowadays, and the head office is still based at the same address where it was registered for the first time (20 Old Court House, Calcutta).
