Russian Bale Seal, Baltic States, St Petersburg, Flax, STPB, 1850
Russian Bale Seal, St Petersburg, Flax, STPB, 1850, Image & Found by Aleksandr.
Found near Felixstowe, Suffolk, 17mm.
A Russian flax or hemp bale seal from St. Petersburg, produced or exported by A.B. Damazki*.
One side has A.B.Damazki curved down around the top of the circular border (possibly with a double Z and ending in a Y instead of an I on this particular seal). Below this curving upwards around the border is ST P.B. with the T being in a smaller font and underlined (St Petersburg). In the centre are the initials B.A. above the date 1850. The other side has Ho3. = No3. above 11 П = 11 P which denotes the grade of flax or hemp.
We can be reasonably sure of the name and date as the style of seals from St. Petersburg changed fundamentally from the early 1840's, and the names of the exporting merchants or agents are recorded on other seals from this time with a dozen showing Damazki and spelling variations of it*.
See Fig.29a, p.57 and 5.2.8.1, p.25 in *Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: Trade, Textiles and Origins by John Sullivan.
"The exact nature of the business enterprise carried on by Damazki remains to be discovered, but it is clear from the examples recorded that part of his business at least involved the export of flax."
The seal shown in fig.29a mentioned above is in the Arbroath (Signal Tower) Museum, ref. ADMUS: A1990.311 dated 1848.
This seal is held by the owner of this forum and is available for inspection.
From Ged Dodd,"Obverse:- ARDAMAZKI / BA / 1850 / STPB
The BA.ARDAMAZI company based in St Petersburg in 1850.
STPB always means St Petersburg whereas SPB on Russian seals means they are hemp seals and tax has been been paid to the State in St Petersburg .. but they could have been shipped from anywhere .. this seal belongs to St Petersburg.
Reverse:- Ho3. / --.-- / 11.П
3rd SORT with 11 П (eleven Pukn, picked, pieces) of flax ( --.-- this separation indicates flax) .. just why the bale has only 11 plants in it alludes me.)
See ref IDS 1162 on The PeaceHavens Project, Seal Numbers 1101 - 1200"
