Cooke & Kelvey Lapel Buttons

Appraised on: August 9, 2003

Appraised in: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Appraised by: Dianne Lewis-Batista

Category: Jewelry

Episode Info: Oklahoma City, Hour 1 (#807)

Originally Aired: February 16, 2004

IMAGE: 1 of 1  

Appraisal Video: (2:28)

GUEST: They were a pair of cufflinks, and I know that they were probably made in India and that they were a possession of my grandfather's, or perhaps my father, but... from about 1900.

APPRAISER: Well, I was very excited when they came to the show today and I was excited for a few different reasons. In fact, they aren't cufflinks. What they are is they're men's lapel buttons. And we don't see them very often, so I was excited to get to see a pair. Today, of course, if a man wanted to wear them, they most likely would wear them as cufflinks. But what you have here is you have a watch and then a compass. And your dating is correct. They are from about 1890 to 1900. You said that you think they're from India. And why do you think that?

GUEST: Well, in my brief research, the company, I believe, was created I think in Calcutta around 150 years ago-- Kelvey & Cooke, I believe-- and it was a company that I understand to be of some esteem.

APPRAISER: Yes, they were. They were a very important jeweler in India during the British occupation. They were founded about 1858, and they were out of Calcutta and really were the Asprey or the Tiffany of India-- so one of the very finest jewelers. And the fact that you have the fitted case with the box showing that is an exquisite detail to the piece. As far as who owned them, you had said you thought they belonged to your grandfather. And I wanted you to see that in fact they open up here... and there is a picture here, and it's a picture of a woman. Did you know that picture was in there?

GUEST: No, did not. Isn't that wonderful? That's mother right before World War II, so that may have been when he got it, because grandfather passed away sometime before then.

APPRAISER: Because of their rarity, because of the fine jewelry, and also the fact that they're a piece of Indian jewelry that we don't see that much of, we would put a value today of $1,000 to $1,500.

GUEST: Oh, goodness, that's way more than I thought.