Date letter "M" Silver Paper Knife, Chester 1962

Silver has been made in the city of Chester since Roman times and was first officially tested and marked when the Chester Assay Office opened in 1701. For 261 years, it served silversmiths from Chester and its environs, plus bigger firms from further afield that tried to avoid lengthy delays at the offices in London, Birmingham & Sheffield. However when volumes of work were much reduced in post-war Britain, the Chester Assay Office permanently closed on August 24th 1962, with the last date letter "M" only being used for less than two months from July 1st. This silver paper knife bears that date letter and represents a rare example for the final throes of the Chester Assay Office.

This 8" long silver paper knife or letter opener takes the form of an 18th century skewer with a flat, square profile handle tapering to a point. It was made by Chester's most prominent 20th century silver retailers, Lowe & Sons, has deeply struck, clear hallmarks and is in near mint condition.