Russian Bale Seal, Baltic States, Hemp, SPB, 1816, Image & Found by Ravy Davy.
Found in Inverness , Highlands , Scotland, 23mm, 11.6g.
First side:-
First line:- SPB = St. Petersburg
Second line:- PFRH = Indicates the quality and type of goods but uncertain what initials stood for.*
Third line:- 1816 = Date of grading
Second side:-
First line:- Illegible but usually ПД = PD = Hemp Inspection (which could also stand for Port Inspection or Tow Inspection*)
Second & Third lines:- П:ЕРЕ / МЕЕВЬ = P:ERE / MEEV' = P. Eremeev(initials & surname of Quality Control Officer.)*
Fourth line:- H31(3?) = N31(3?) = the number of the post the QA Officer worked at.*
These seals are Russian flax or hemp bale quality control seals.
See Fig. 12b on page 54, *Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: Trade, Textiles and Origins by John Sullivan.
An I.M. Eremeev (a possible relative) is recorded on a seal from 1830's and held in the Dundee Museum, ref. DUN:AHH.2005-16.09*
From Ged Dodd, "ПД = PD / П:EPEMEEBЬ / / H313 /// SPB / PFRH / 1816
Hemp Inspector P.EREMEEV working out of 313 post in the port of St Petersburg, Kronstadt, Narva, Riga, Libau, Memel, Konigsberg, Pilau, Pernau, Revel or Tilsit ..in the year 1816 . . All SPB seals before 1829 are hemp seals and SPB is a certification of the hemp bracking (inspection) by the Russian Empire.). SPB does not mean this seal was shipped from St Petersburg (but it may have been) ..
The Grower/Owner/Agent initials are PF with high quality grade Rein Hemp plants in the bale; See ref IDS 314 on The PeaceHavens Project, Seal Numbers 001 - 100."
