The establishment of Assay Office Birmingham in 1773 was the result of a successful campaign led by Birmingham silversmith and entrepreneur Matthew Boulton. In 2009, to mark Boulton's bicentenary and to celebrate his life, work and legacy, Assay Office Birmingham commissioned a magnificent candelabrum.

It was designed and produced by local silversmith Shona Marsh, who took her inspiration from the style of silver produced by Matthew Boulton at his Soho Manufactory in Birmingham. The silver candelabrum has been made using time-honoured techniques combined with new technologies and is testimony to the legacy of Matthew Boulton and the rich history of craftsmanship in Birmingham. It also serves as a reminder of the continuing importance of Hallmarking which has been protecting the trade and the consumer for over 700 years.

About the Designer

Shona Marsh graduated from the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University as a silversmith in 2005 and has now established an excellent reputation within the trade.

A number of designers were invited to submit ideas for the Commemorative Piece and Shona's Candelabrum was selected for it's design merit and because it met the criteria of the brief most closely. Her silver candelabrum is a contemporary piece which draws on Boulton's work for it's inspiration. The Candelabrum has been made in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter and in typical Jewellery Quarter style, Shona has called upon the traditional specialist skills and high-tech expertise of several individuals and companies. Spinning, polishing and casting are highly specialised, complex processes and Birmingham offers long established expertise in these skills which is second to none. The result is a unique piece of silverware which demonstrates the high quality of design and craftsmanship which abounds in Birmingham in 2009. It is a fitting tribute to Matthew Boulton, the man who, by providing the Birmingham Silver and Jewellery industry with it's own Assay Office, did so much for it's long term development over the next three centuries.

If you would like more information about hallmarking services provided by Assay Office Birmingham, please get in touch with us today on 0121 236 6951 or e-mail gem@theassayoffice.co.uk.

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