Russian Bale Seal, Riga Flax, Image & Found by Popsandme
Found in North Yorkshire, 20.06mm Diam x 5.7mm thick.
The obverse shows crossed keys with a cross above between the key blades and the number 1 between the handles. The reverse is marked but this may just be random indentations. A particularly 'chunky' example of this type.
See Fig.81 p.63, John Sullivan, 'Russian Cloth Seals in Britain Trade, Textiles and Origins', 2012, "Riga seals connected with the flax trade have been recovered in substantial numbers ... but ... have not been properly identified ... Their distinctive characteristic is their motif, derived from the Arms of the town of Riga: ... on the lead seals recovered in Britain, which on one side are usually blank, only ... the Cross Keys and the Cross which stands below the open crown [are shown]. In addition, between the heads of the two keys stands a number indicating the quality of the goods inspected (1, 2 or 3), number 1 being the most frequently recorded." p.48.
From Ged Dodd, "A Riga City cross keys flax seal ... The keys have a X between the keys in the upper section which is suggesting to me that it could be St Petersburg as the Riga cross on the arms of Riga City is a plus sign cross .. the number 1 in the lower section between the keys mean 1st grade ...
see the seal as IDS 556 on The PeaceHavens Project, Riga Crossed Keys"
