Online Encyclopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks & Makers' Marks
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British Colonial Silver Marks ~ India

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British India Flag
Indian Colonial Silver Marks
In 1615, the British East India Company first gained a foothold in India, by the end of the 18th century they either ruled or held sway over the majority of lands on the Indian subcontinent. At this point, the British community; administrators, military men, traders and their employees, had swelled to the extent that it became lucrative for British born silversmiths to set up shop in the major cities of the colony. Some failed, others thrived to the point where they remained in business decades after India achieved its independence from the British Raj in 1947.
British India Star
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Firm Maker's Mark Location & Period Comments
Charles, Nephew & Co.

9 Old Court House St.
Calcutta
1848-1870
Simla
1866-1870
Charles John Pittar, Parke Pittar Jr. and Thomas Powell. Retailing silversmiths, jewelers and watchmakers. Successors to Pittar & Co.
Cooke & Kelvey
(Robert Thomas Cooke & Charles Kelvey)

Old Court House St.


Calcutta
founded 1857
c.1900, J. E. Calthrup & William Hill are noted as partners.
The firm also had branches in London & Simla, currently active in Delhi.
Indian owned since 1946
James Cox

Popham's Broadway
Esplanade (after 1822)
Madras
1801-1844
1806-1812 Johnson & Cox
1822 Cox, Johnson & Monin
1823-1825 Cox & Monin
Cropley & Co.

Old Court House St.
Calcutta
1819-1825
James Pembroke Cropley, Thomas Thompson and/or Charles Dolton may have been partners.
C. Co. Ltd .
.
Francis Dormieux & Co.

51 Theatre St.
Calcutta
1815-1821
Francis Dormieux & Francis Vrignon.
Successors to John Hunt & Co.
Gordon & Lovell

North Gate St.
Madras
1803-1807
George Gordon I, Francis Lovell & Robert Gordon II
George Gordon & Co.

18 Popham's Broadway


Madras
1821-1845
Founded by George Gordon II, Robert Gordon III, John Law & Andrew Barron
George Gordon & Co.
with
Peter & Alexander Orr


18 Popham's Broadway
Madras
1845-1848
Succeeded by Phillips & Co.
Hamilton & Co.

8 Old Court House St.




Calcutta
1811-1971
Robert Hamilton, Henry Glazbrook & James Glazbrook. Although his name was kept, Hamilton left the partnership in 1817. The firm went through an extraordinary fifteen more partner changes over the ensuing fifty years.

Later branches in Bombay & Simla
John Hunt & Co.

51 Theatre St.
Calcutta
1808-1815
John Hunt & Thomas Thompson. TT was replaced by Charles Dolton in 1812. Succeeded by Dormieux & Co.
Lattey Brothers & Co.

10 Government Place


Calcutta
1842-1855
R. J. Lattey, A. P. Lattey, D. Lattey and Joseph Hayes
succeeded by Allan & Hayes
John Mair
(1759-1815)
Calcutta
1789-1796
Jeweler, silversmith & medalist. In 1793, Mair cut the dies and struck approx. 7,000 gold & silver medals awarded by the East India Company to British troops for service in the Mysore Campaign.
Oomersee Mawjee & Sons




Bhuj, Kutch
c.1860-1930's
.
Peter Nicholas Orr
(1803-1887)

Mount Road
Madras
c.1851-1860
A partner in George Gordon & Co. from 1843-1848
Set up own shop c.1851
1854 became P. Orr & Co.
Succeeded by P. Orr & Sons, the firm continued the use of the "Orr" mark.
P. Orr & Sons

Mount Road


Madras
1860-1987
Mark used 1860-c.1900
Pittar & Co.

9 Old Court House St.


Calcutta
1825-1848
Parke Pittar I, Isaac Pittar and (probably) Robert Hamilton.
Succeeded by Charles, Nephew & Co.
Hippolitus Poignand
(1761-1805)

1793 - Mr. Charles' Europe Shop
1794 - 13 Bankshall St.
1798 - 4 Tank Square
1800 - 51 Theatre St.
1805 - 191 Lall Bazar


Calcutta
1793-1805
.
Twentyman & Co.

3 Tank Square
3 Hare Street
Calcutta
1818-1829
William Henry Twentyman & George Havell Homser
Warner Brothers Delhi
c.1920s
.
William Augustus
Woolaston

(Wollaston)

Lall Bazar
Calcutta
1823-?
(died 1839)
Woolaston entered the retail china & glass trade in 1825, he may or may not have continued with silver.
Much of the information above is derived from "The Makers of Indian Colonial Silver" by Wynyard Wilkinson (pub. 1987)

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