Balsam Customs Seal, Image & Found by HungryDuck.
Found near Moscow, 25mm.
"Inscription
...рто: тамож: бальз...
rto:Customs:balsam
Learned that the seal on the bottle of "Riga balsam" time of Catherine 2 (1762-1796)"
From Wikipedia "Riga Black Balsam (Latvian: Rīgas Melnais balzams) is a traditional Latvian herbal liqueur made with many different natural ingredients mixed in pure vodka, giving a 45% abv (90 proof) drink. It can be had as it is, on the rocks or mixed with schnapps, akvavit, or vodka, or warm, in tea, coffee or black currant juice, or mixed with soda water or a soft drink, or in any variety of cocktails. It is also occasionally enjoyed as a topping on ice-cream. The drink itself is black and very bitter, but with a distinct sweetness.
Riga Black Balsam is made by JSC Latvijas Balzams. The traditional recipe was created by Abraham Kunze, a pharmacist living in Riga, and is based on a composition of 24 different ingredients like plants, flowers, buds, juices, roots, oils and berries prepared in oak barrels. It is sold in ceramic hand-made flagons. Over time, experts from many countries have highly regarded the quality of Riga Black Balsam, and have given it more than 30 awards at international fairs[citation needed].
Black Balsam is also used in traditional medicine. It is considered to be a good cold remedy and is used to treat digestive problems. It has been made in Riga since the middle of the 18th century. According to legend, Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, became ill during a visit to Latvia, but was cured after drinking Riga Black Balsam."
From Paul Cannon, "See "Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: Trade, Textiles and Origins" by John Sullivan (2012) pp 49-50 and p63, figs 84a, b & c. (for a another balsam seal)"
From Ged Dodd, "The reverse is blank but should have had a date on it ..
The obvere has the Russian State Arms surrounded by
* ... ІРТО:ТАМОЖ:БАЛЗАМЪ
* ... ІРТО: is a city of unknown origin.. The Balsam liquor was manufactured in Riga, St Petersburg and Moscow .. this could be Moscow but the letters are an unknown combination.
ТАМОЖ: is TAMOЖHЯ, ТАМОЖЕННАЯ, Customs tax paid.
БАЛЗАМЪ is BALZAM usually refered to as Black Balsam, the herbal tincture invented by Abraham Kunze in the 18th century which enjoyed success in both Russia and abroad as Riga Black Balsam became one of the most popular brands.
The mixture of twenty-four items called Kunze’s Balsam consisted of such ingredients as peppermint, sage, rosemary, ginger, fennel, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, nutmeg as well as the oils of the Siberian Stone Pine (Pinus cembra) and grain alcohol. Legend goes that while visiting Riga during a visit to the Baltic provinces in 1764, Russian Empress Catherine II was cured of a cold by Kuncz's tincture. From then on the family of Abraham Kunze was granted exclusive rights to produce the elixir .. Riga Black Balsam. The balsam was also produced in St. Petersburg and Moscow. See IDS 1187 on The PeaceHavens Project, Seal Numbers 1101 - 1200 & The PeaceHavens Project, Riga Black Balsam Seals & The PeaceHavens Project, Russian State Arms Customs Tax Seals."
