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An idea of the extent of the operations carried on at the Birmingham Assay Office may, the "Daily Telegraph" says, be judged from the number of articles marked and assays made. As an average over 30.000 "pieces" are stamped per day, while during the same period about 1,000 tests are made. Whenever an example is found to be under standard it is at once broken up and returned so much old metal to the maker, but not more than 10oz. per day of gold and silver together are thus found to be defective.

Source: Evening Express - 8th September 1896

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Gold Watch Cases

The following is a return of the number of gold watch cases marked at the Assay-office, Goldsmiths'-Hall, London For the year ending 30th April, 1848, 14,257; 1849,15,167; 1850, 16,877; 1851, 18,629; 1852, 20,101; 1853, 21,533; 1854,23,561.

Watch cases assayed and marked at Chester Assay office: 1847, 1,528; 1848, 1,743; 1849, 1,816½; 1850, 4,617; 1851, 6,034; 1852, 7,058½; 1853, 9,284; 1854 to July 5, 3,079½.

Source: The North Wales Chronicle - 23rd September 1854

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A return has been issued of the sums of money received and expended by the Goldsmiths' Company during the last ten years for assaying and making gold and silver wires. The highest sum received was in 1854, when it reached 4,866l and the lowest in 1849, when it was 3,416l. The highest sum expended was in 1848, when it was 4,240l; and the lowest in 1852, when it was 3,291l. The number of persons employed by the company for this purpose is 14, and the amount of their salaries 2,469l per annum. The legal expenses incurred for the last ten years in prosecutions against offenders by the Goldsmiths' Company amounted to 1,074l.

Source: The North Wales Chronicle - 25th August 1855

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According to the official returns of the several assay offices for the year 1886-87 Birmingham still holds the lead in the manufacture of the precious metals. At the Goldsmith's Hall duty was paid upon 14,802 oz. of gold and 122,703 oz. of silver. This is consumed not only by the gold and silver smiths, but also by the jewellery trade.

Source: The Chemist and Druggist - 29th October 1887

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The report of the Birmingham Assay Master for 1909 shows that there was an increased demand for silver articles of every-day use. The weight of silver marked and assayed was 3,992,647 ounces, as compared with 3,611,389 in the previous year. This was the greatest weight dealt with during the last 20 years. On the other hand, the weight of gold has decreased and is the smallest since 1896, there being a decline of no less than 42,414 ounces, as compared with the previous year. This has a very serious aspect, for the year ending June, 1908, showed a decrease of practically the same quantity.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 7th September 1910

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The weight and number of gold and silver articles submitted for assaying to the British Assay Offices was almost halved in the first quarter of this year compared with the same quarter of 1979. Also in the first months of 1980 the total number of items submitted, at just over four million, was the lowest recorded since 1974.

Such figures come as the first statistical confirmation of the widespread gloom of the trade with its three-day weeks, laying-offs and even some closures.

The weight of all of the gold tested by the offices fell by nearly 50 per cent compared with the first quarter of 1979 and the total dropped by 45 per cent. A similar story was told by silver which slumped by over 58 per cent while in number the fall was 46 per cent.

Only platinum, though representing a small sector of the trade, disclosed more cheerful figures. The weight tested increased by 10 per cent and the number rose by 11 per cent.

Source: Jeweller Watchmaker & Giftware - June 1980

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Annual hallmarking figures for 2021

The total number of articles sent for hallmarking at all UK offices in 2021 rose by 47.7% to 8,687,131.

Gold, silver and platinum saw a rise in the quantity of articles hallmarked, palladium saw a decline.

Source: The Leopard - February / March 2022

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GOLDSMITHS HALL, Edinburgh, 13th Nov. 1784.

The Incorporation of GOLDSMITHS and GOLDSMITHS COMPANY of the City of Edinburgh, having taken into consideration the Act of Parliament passed in the 24th year of the Present Majesty’s reign, entitled, "An Act for granting to his Majesty certain duties on all gold and silver plate imported, and also certain duties on all gold and silver plate made in Great Britain," did, agreeably to the said Act of Parliament, appoint Mess. John Clark and George Auld their assay-masters, or any one of them, to attend at their assay-office above the Goldsmiths Hall, Parliament-square, Edinburgh, at the usual stated times; to receive all parcels of Gold or Silver that shall be sent there to be touched, assayed, or marked, in terms of the said Act of Parliament; the persons bringing the same to they said office paying to the assay-master acting for the time the duties appointed by the said act to be paid to them for his Majesty’s use, and complying with the requisites of the said act, and paying the usual fees for touching, assaying, and marking Gold and Silver. And they appoint public notice hereof to be given in this manner in the Edinburgh newspapers, to all concerned, that no person may pretend ignorance of the same.

Extracted from the minutes of the said incorporation, by

SAM. MITCHELSON Junr, Clerk.

Source: The Caledonian Mercury - 15th November 1784

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Assay Office, Birmingham.—Prices to be paid for assaying and marking gold and silver wares on and after July 6, 1889. Gold—For each single Albert chain, consisting of one row of links, 5d. ; for each other chain, 10d. ; for each watch case, 5d. ; for each locket, bracelet, or necklet pendant, 2d. ; for each dozen studs, or links, or rings, 3d. : for other wares, each, Id. Silver Wares not exceeding in weight 5 dwts. each (excepting watch pendants), per dozen, 3d. ; Chains, per oz., 1d. ; other wares, ½d. per oz. Fractions of a penny in the accounts will be charged a penny, and no parcel of gold or silver work will be charged less than one shilling. The full weight of gold and silver will be returned without stoppage for diet.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st August 1889

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London Assay Office statistics for 2022:


2.3 million articles hallmarked.

70,000 Platinum Jubilee commemorative marks applied - the largest quantity by any of the UK Assay Offices.

70% of work received were Early Hall/ Next Day requests.

9% of total work was Display/Feature hallmarks.

12% of total work was “moderate” or “complex” requests which requires a disproportionate amount of marking capacity and time.

Source: The Leopard - January 2023

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An advertisement from the punch-maker, J. Tayler Foot, supplier of punches to the Birmingham, Chester, Dublin, Glasgow and Sheffield assay offices:


J. Tayler Foot - London - 1915

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Sir Thomas Martineau, who has for so many years been law clerk to the Birmingham Assay Office, has lately resigned his appointment, and the Guardians have appointed Mr. J. B. Carslake in his place. In accepting Sir Thomas's resignation the Guardians in meeting assembled resolved: " That the Guardians of the Standard of Wrought Plate in Birmingham tender to Sir Thomas Martineau their cordial expressions of good will . . . and desire to place on record their high appreciation of the very able way in which he has invariably discharged the onerous duties that have devolved upon him during the fifteen years that he has acted as their clerk."

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 2nd January 1893

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dognose wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2023 4:14 am An advertisement from the punch-maker, J. Tayler Foot, supplier of punches to the Birmingham, Chester, Dublin, Glasgow and Sheffield assay offices:
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It would be interesting to see the town mark for Egypt which I presume is in Buckinghamshire.

Hi Silverly,

No, the advertisement would be referring to the country of Egypt, which was under British rule at this time..

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