Russian Bale Seal, Baltic States, Flax, NP, 1790, Image & Found by Scott Smith.
Found in Kincardineshire, Scotland.
Russian Flax quality control seal.
First side:-
First line - NP = unknown initials.*
Second line - H12H = initials and numerals indicating the content of the bales.
Third line - (1790)? = date of assessment.
Second side:-
First line- ЛД = LD = l'nyanoy dosmotr = Flax Inspection.
Second & Third line - С:ЧЕ(P?) = S:chE(R?) / НЬIШ? = N'Ish? name of quality control officer, probably Chernyshov (ЧЕР / НЬIШО) also shown on an 1825 St Petersburg seal held the Courthouse Museum, Cromarty, Fife Museum Service (East), (CRMCH:2002.004.01*), work station H8(-) - further proof of NP seals originating from St Petersburg.
Fourth line - H:8(1) = N:8(1) = number of work station used by QA officer.
See Fig.4b and section 5.2.4.1, p.21, *Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: Trade, Textiles and Origins by John Sullivan.
Inscription deciphered and completed by Ged Dodd of The PeaceHavens Project, IDS 101 using his extensive database:-
NP / IH12H / 1790 // ЛД = LD / C.ЧEPHЬIШOB = S.CHERNYSHOV / H81
