Certificate of Assay · Career Record · No. 1892-JD

Victor Frankenstein

Silversmith · Birmingham, England
victor.frankenstein@example.com 0121 555 0347 victorfrankenstein.example.com Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Declaration of the Maker I have worked silver for 16 years, first as a spoon and flatware apprentice, now running a two-bench workshop that turns out around 120 commissioned pieces a year. My work is mostly hand-raised hollowware: bowls, beakers, and the occasional christening cup. I keep a ledger of every punch I have ever struck, which my accountant finds excessive.

VF maker's mark 925 standard ⊕ assay office a–z date letter
Struck marks · record of eras worked
VF
Maker
925
Standard
⊕
Office
f
2019–

Proprietor & Head Silversmith

Frankenstein & Bench Ltd, Jewellery Quarter · 2019 – present
  • Built the workshop from a single bench to 2 smiths and 1 apprentice; annual output of roughly 120 commissioned pieces.
  • Completed a 44-piece flatware service for a Warwickshire estate over 14 months, all hand-forged from 925 sterling.
  • Cut casting rejects from 9% to 2% by switching to vacuum-assisted investment and logging every pour.
VF
Maker
958
Standard
⊕
Office
d
2014–19

Senior Bench Silversmith

Harwood & Frayne Silver Co., Birmingham · 2014 – 2019
  • Led hollowware production on a 6-person bench; raised or spun about 300 bowls and beakers a year.
  • Trained 4 apprentices through their first assay submissions; all 4 passed with zero returned pieces.
  • Introduced Britannia standard (958) line for ecclesiastical commissions, adding £85k in annual orders.
HF
Maker
925
Standard
⊕
Office
b
2010–14

Journeyman Silversmith

Harwood & Frayne Silver Co., Birmingham · 2010 – 2014
  • Worked flatware forging and polishing; averaged 18 finished spoons a week at journeyman grade.
  • Restored a 96-piece Victorian canteen for a museum loan, replacing 11 lost pieces to pattern.
PW
Maker
925
Standard
⊕
Office
a
2008–10

Apprentice Silversmith

Pemberton Ward Workshops, Sheffield · 2008 – 2010
  • Completed a 2-year indentured apprenticeship covering forging, raising, soldering, and planishing.
  • First submitted piece, a sterling napkin ring, passed assay on first strike.

Standards held · skills

  • Hand raising & sinking 958hollowware from flat sheet, up to 30 cm dia.
  • Forging & flatware 958spoons, forks, servers to pattern
  • Hard soldering & seaming 925stepped-melt assemblies, 4+ joins
  • Chasing & repoussé 925pitch-bowl work, lettering, armorials
  • Casting & finishing 800investment casting, spinning, planishing

Registrations & training

  • Registered maker's punch "JD"Birmingham Assay Office · since 2014
  • Dip. Silversmithing & Allied TradesVittoria Street School of Metalwork · 2008
  • Freeman, Guild of Working Silversmithsadmitted 2017
  • Evening tutor, raising & forgingQuarter Craft College · 6 terms since 2021