Petition to stop hallmark ‘being sold down river’ Assay branch in Mumbai will now see famous anchor used for Indian silver
CAMPAIGNERS battling against the use of Birmingham’s famous anchor hallmark on jewellery in India are hoping to have the matter raised in Parliament.
It was revealed in the Post earlier this year that Birmingham’s Assay Office was opening a base in Mumbai, meaning the anchor mark which denotes the quality of a piece of jewellery, could now be used in the subcontinent.
The news drew sharp criticism from jewellery manufacturers which accused the Assay Office of selling Birmingham’s historic silver trade down the river.
Those same campaigners have now lodged an official petition on the Government’s website calling for the practice to stop which, if it reaches 100,000 signatures, could trigger a debate in Parliament.
The move follows a change in legislation introduced in 2013 which allows UK assay offices to apply hallmarks off-shore and set up a sub-office in other countries.
There are four assay offices in the UK which use their own symbols to denote they have tested a piece of jewellery, or ‘assayed’ it, in order to verify its quality. The anchor mark is synonymous with Birmingham and has been used since 1773 after industrialist Matthew Boulton set up the office in the city.
London’s assay office uses a leopard’s head, Edinburgh’s a castle and Sheffield’s a rose.
They officially denote the office that marked the item – not the location where the mark was applied or the item made.
The online petition says: “Hallmarks by assay offices located overseas should not be identical to UK marks. In 2013, the four UK assay offices were allowed to open up sub-offices in other countries.
“The intention was that ‘offshore’ assayed items would carry a different hallmark.
“Birmingham Assay Office in Mumbai, India, are using Birmingham hallmarks identical to the UK marks. This misleads the consumer.”
Martin McDonagh, chairman of silverware firm Heritage Collection which is based in Small Heath, told the Post: “Our city is being constantly side-lined and, as in this case, its very heritage sold down the river by those claiming they have the city’s interest at heart.
“As a manufacturer of 40 years standing in this city, I am appalled at the way the Assay Office has continued to plough on with their plan to use the Birmingham mark whatever the views or pleas from the trade as to the effect it will have.
“If Birmingham and its people don’t unite and demonstrate their opposition, it will not just be our heritage that is sold down the river but the future for our youngest citizens to have the opportunity to develop and learn skills for work in our city.”
Assay Office Birmingham had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.
Our city’s very heritage is being sold down the river by those claiming they have the city’s interest at heart Martin McDonagh, Heritage Collection