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A CELEBRATION OF SILVER AT ANTIQUES FOR EVERYONE EXHIBITION

The Birmingham Assay Office – a hidden gem in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter              -  it truly is the genuine article……

The Birmingham Assay Office is home to a remarkable collection of silverware.  “There is a huge number of unusual pieces in the collection and they all feature the original Birmingham hallmark," comments Mr Michael Allchin, Chief Executive and Assay Master.

"We are very pleased to be able to exhibit some of these treasures at the next Antiques for Everyone show, where they will be on public view from Thursday 12 – Sunday 15th April at the NEC.  It will be a unique chance for the people of Birmingham and beyond to see some fantastic treasures from their industrial heritage," he said.

Hallmarking is the oldest form of consumer protection. British Hallmarks have been the symbol of integrity and quality to purchasers of precious metal articles for centuries and through its statutory assaying and hallmarking duties the Birmingham Assay Office has been protecting the consumer for over 230 years.

The Birmingham Assay Office feature at the exhibition will be staffed by the Curator, several of SafeGuard’s expert, independent valuers and other members of staff who look forward to meeting and talking to members of the public and trade alike.

The Birmingham Assay Office – A hidden gem

The Birmingham Assay Office, is housed in a Grade II listed building which is bursting with more jewels, gems and experts than the Tower of London.

It is the largest Assay office in the world and tests a staggering 40,000 to 80,000 items each working day. The hustle and bustle behind the imposing exterior harks back to the city's industrial heydays, when it was one of the busiest centres of the silver industry.

Its Founder, the famous 18th-century “Brummie” entrepreneur Matthew Boulton, created The Birmingham Assay Office to give the city's burgeoning silver industry a fighting chance. At that time the nearest Assay offices were Chester and London, and sending items to Chester to be hallmarked was a logistical nightmare.

Boulton and a number of the city's leading industrialists joined forces with Sheffield's silversmiths to lobby Parliament, calling them to establish an Assay Office in both Birmingham and Sheffield.

The rest, as they say, is history. The Birmingham Assay Office was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1773.

Today, Boulton's legacy lives on – the ONLY one of his many enterprises to make it to the 21st century.

The Birmingham Assay Office currently houses state-of-the-art laboratories and an amazing collection of world-renowned experts.

Chief Executive Michael Allchin said, "As the largest Assay Office in the world we put our continued success down to the combination of our heritage and world-renowned expertise together with our forward-looking outlook.

"We are proud of our reputation as a progressive organisation and we are constantly looking for ways we can improve our services," he said.

In addition to its statutory hallmarking duties, The Birmingham Assay Office offers a wide range of services, including independent diamond certification, precious metal analysis, nickel testing and independent jewellery valuations.

"Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding; they have more disposable income but there is also more competition and jewellers need to give their customers reassurance," said Mr Allchin.

Gold, Silver, Platinum, Diamonds, Pearls, Rubies,Tanzanite, – whatever the sparkle,  The Birmingham Assay Office offers expert opinion on every aspect of the precious metal, jewellery and gemstone trade.

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HALLMARKING

What is a hallmark?

One of the earliest forms of customer protection, a hallmark certifies the amount of silver, gold or platinum in any alloy. All jewellery is made of an alloy of one of these precious metals with another metal. Hallmarking is carried out in much the same way as it has been for 230 years although the process is assisted by the latest technology such as X-Ray Florescence testing and laser marking.

Why an anchor?

Ever wondered why the hallmark of the Birmingham Assay Office is an anchor? The story goes that when Matthew Boulton was in London lobbying Parliament, he stayed at the Crown & Anchor Tavern in the Strand, a popular haunt for politicians. Legend has it that with the toss of a coin, land-locked Birmingham won the anchor as its hallmarking symbol, whilst Sheffield took the crown (subsequently changed to the rose).

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GOLDEN NUGGETS

• Founded in 1773 The Birmingham Assay Office is the largest in the world
• Twelve million articles of gold, silver or platinum are tested every year
• Hallmarking of precious metals is a legal requirement in the UK 
• 18ct gold is 75% fine gold hence the 750 in the hallmark
• The Birmingham Assay Office has only had 12 Assay Masters in 233 years, the longest serving being an employee for 68 years

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