>Materialscientist: Reverted edits by Giriraj_Singh_Chundawat (talk) (HG) (3.4.10)

2020-08-19T17:19:14Z

Reverted edits by Giriraj_Singh_Chundawat (talk) (HG) (3.4.10)

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'''[https://cookeandkelvey.com/ Cooke & Kelvey]''' was founded in 1858 by Robert Thomas Cooke and Charles Kelvey. They were [[Kolkata]]-based clock-makers, silversmiths, jewelers and were extremely popular during the later period of [[British India]].<ref name="ck">[https://www.idiva.com/photogallery-style-beauty/cooke-kelveys-historic-indian-timepieces/14432/ Cooke & Kelvey's Historic Indian Timepieces.] iDiva.</ref> Some of the notable Cooke and Kelvey clocks include those in the [[Salar Jung Museum]] in [[Hyderabad]],<ref name="salar">[https://vagabondimages.in/2014/07/09/musical-clock-salarjung-museum/ Musical Clock, Salar Jung Museum.] Swami's Vagabond Images.</ref> the Bhim Chandra Nag sweet shop in Kolkata,<ref name="bhim">[https://scroll.in/magazine/833345/how-the-first-english-clock-with-bengali-numerals-and-swiss-machinery-came-to-calcutta How the first English clock with Bengali numerals and Swiss machinery came to Calcutta.] Scroll.in.</ref> and the Fairlie Warehouse in Kolkata.<ref name="fairlie">[https://www.telegraphindia.com/1080416/jsp/calcutta/story_9065759.jsp Port story unfolds in warehouse.] The Telegraph.</ref> C&K ceased to be watchmakers in the 1930s or thereabouts. As silversmiths, they have been and still remain front-end players in the luxury segment with their showroom in [[New Delhi]]. They are the first and oldest appointed [https://www.rolex.com/ Rolex] [[retailers]] in [[India]], since 1946.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rolex.com/rolex-dealers/cooke_kelvey/rswi_1849-newdelhi-india.html|title=Cooke & Kelvey|website=Rolex|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

== Overview ==
[https://cookeandkelvey.com/ Cooke & Kelvey]'s expertise and history of fine watchmaking, eventually led to an association with [https://www.rolex.com/ Rolex] of [[Geneva]]. Their high-profile clientele includes erstwhile Maharajas, industrialist, politicians and many popular personalities. Cooke & Kelvey are [[Victorian era]] [[Silversmith|silversmiths]] and their craft and designs have come from England. Their ‘native’ craftsmen in [[Calcutta]] (Kolkata) were handpicked and trained by British artisans, by the 1880s. Till now, all of their silverware is produced in [[Kolkata]] by these eighteen families of craftsmen and available for purchase at their showroom in [[Janpath]], [[New Delhi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.luxuryfacts.com/index.php/sections/article/Cooke--Kelvey---A-Master-Creator|title=Cooke & Kelvey - A Master Creator|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

==History==
[https://cookeandkelvey.com/ Cooke & Kelvey], Pearl & Diamond [[Merchant|Merchants]], Jewellers, [[Gold]] and [[Silver]] [[Art]] Workers held a leading position in the pre-[[independence]] [[British Raj|British era]]. They were appointed Jewelers to the [[Earl of Mayo]] and received this favour of appointment from every succeeding [[Governor-general|Governor-General]] and [[Viceroy]] in those days. They had beautifully appointed showrooms with rare jewels of immense value, collected from all parts of the world. Their display of [[solid]] [[silver]], testimonial plate, electroplate, [[Clock|clocks]], [[Watch|watches]], etc were unrivaled. Among the interesting articles which have been designed and manufactured by this firm are jeweled [[crown (headgear)|crown]]s, swords, belts, [[silver]] bedsteads, howdahs, state chairs, challenge cups, [[Shield|shields]], address caskets, all of which have been manufactured for some notable occasion, and special mention must be made of the [[Casket|caskets]] presented to his [[Majesty]] [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward]], when, as [[Prince of Wales]], he visited [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] in 1875, and then as King Emperor in December 1905.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=The Cyclopedia of India (Vol I)|publisher=The Cyclopedia Publishing Company|year=|isbn=|location=Calcutta|pages=}}</ref>

[[Tower clocks]] were also a specialty of this firm, and many fine examples of this work have been made and erected in various parts of [[India]]. Being contractors to (Her Majesty's) Government they were large manufacturers of station and office clocks. Racing chronograph and complicated watches were also a leading feature of their business. The chronograph watches used by the Calcutta Turf Club for timing all important races have been supplied by this firm for many years.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Macmillan|first=Allister|title=Seaports of India & Ceylon|publisher=W.H. & L. Collingridge|year=1928|isbn=|location=|pages=}}</ref> Between the 1920s and 1970s some of the classiest models from [[Rolex]] were retailed and serviced in Calcutta, Delhi and Lahore (till 1948), by Cooke & Kelvey.

In 1927, the firm was formed into a limited liability company. The then managing director was Mr. W. Gordon Deeks, Messrs. E. Bibra and W. Bruce Davidson. The firm had branches at Delhi, Simla and Lahore. The company was helmed by seven successive owners before passing onto the Khemka family in 1946.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Clock brands]]
[[Category:Watchmakers]]

Cooke and Kelvey - Revision history

>Materialscientist: Reverted edits by Giriraj_Singh_Chundawat (talk) (HG) (3.4.10)