The Birmingham Assay Office, along with those in London, Edinburgh, and Sheffield, was established by an Act of Parliament and has since been responsible for hallmarking certain precious metals. Originally those metals were silver and gold, while today platinum and palladium are included in the list.
The purpose of the Assay Office is to protect the public by verifying the purity of the precious metals used in product creation. The hallmark on your gold wedding ring or silver trophy guarantees its degree of purity. Over the years the Assay Office’s practices and facilities have developed and expanded but the core mission remains the same.
The Assay Office hosted a one-day exhibition, which attracted artisans from across Birmingham and included such diverse businesses as pen makers, jewellers, silversmiths, ceremonial military uniform suppliers, and, in our case, gunmakers and creators of traditionally crafted leather goods.
We displayed a .243 double rifle of best quality; handmade and engraved just a few hundred yards from the Assay Office, in our Pritchett Street factory. Visitors were able to watch our in-house engraver at work and ask questions about his craft and techniques. Also on display was one of our leatherworkers, hand stitching belts and dog leads with traditional tools and materials.
There were talks throughout the day on a variety of subjects, both historical and technical, and, despite the wet weather, the event was well attended.
Westley Richards was pleased to be involved in a celebration of Birmingham craft industries and showcase the outstanding work of our people. Had they been asked, we are sure the Assay Office would have given us their stamp of approval.
The Explora Blog is the world’s premier online journal for field sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, conservationists and admirers of bespoke gunmaking, fine leather goods and timeless safari clothes. Each month Westley Richards publishes up to 8 blog posts on a range of topics with an avid readership totalling 500,000+ page views per year.
Blog post topics include: Finished custom rifles and bespoke guns leaving the Westley Richards factory; examples of heritage firearms with unique designs and celebrated owners like James Sutherland and Frederick Courtenay Selous; the latest from the company's pre-owned guns and rifles collection; interviews with the makers from the gun and leather factory; new season safari wear and country clothing; recent additions to our luxury travel bags and sporting leather goods range; time well spent out in the field; latest news in the sporting world; and key international conservation stories.
