The Birmingham Assay Office Branch in Mumbai

[dognose]

Dear Members,

Some of you may be aware that the Birmingham Assay Office (BAO) has opened a branch in Mumbai, India and that the Birmingham anchor mark is being used in hallmarks on locally produced silver items. While there is no suggestion that these items are sub-standard it means that there is no way of distinguishing the items from those hallmarked in Birmingham. A group of Birmingham silversmiths is opposing the use of an identical hallmark and is asking interested parties to sign a petition to parliament in order to make the BAO use a different mark for Mumbai assayed silver. If you are in favour of a ban and are a British citizen or UK resident the petition can be found at:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/162103

My thanks to Phil (silvermakersmarks) for the above information.

Trev.

[user701]

Thanks for the head up Phil and Trev, duly signed and shared on Facebook and Twitter

[dognose]

Less than two months to go before the chance of getting this important issue debated in parliament is lost.

Trev.

[dognose]

The clock's ticking! The deadline for signing this petition is 26th January 2017.

Trev.

[user701]

I will share it on twitter and facebook again, see if it will drum up some more signatures

[dognose]

Thanks User.

It's beyond me as to why another mark cannot be struck so as to distinguish between Birmingham and Mumbai assayed pieces.

Trev.

[user701]

Agreed, stupid idea and one I hope is not adopted

[trevorg]

Agreed, a stupid idea. Duly signed.
Happy New Year to all.
Trev

[dognose]

THE NEW (MUMBAI ?) MARK


It did finally happen:



Birmingham Assay Office have an Indian company (AnchorCert India) conducting assay and hallmarking in Mumbai for precious metal goods destined for sale throughout the UK and EU. However, it would appear this mark will also cover any further expansion of the BAO's overseas operations and thus will not identify Mumbai alone.

A second office, at Jaipur, I believe has now been opened.

(The Sheffield Assay office opened the first overseas sub-office, which was located in Malpensa, Italy in 2014. In response to respresentations made by Sheffield Assay Office, the BHC (British Hallmarking Council - a semi-autonomous body, funded by the four UK Assay Offices) approved the use of the Sheffield Assay Office mark (the rose) in Malpensa on 7 April 2014. The Malpensa sub-office is no longer operating.)

Trev.