Russian, Circular Dated Seal, Image & Found by HiHoSilver.
Found just outside Bristol, Keynsham area, Somerset, 30mm x 5mm thick.
One side is blank, the other has a cross crosslet at its centre on an eight petalled flower head with four numerals evenly spaced around it - they make up 1882 but could be read in any sequence though most likely a date. With the help of other seals the Cyrillic writing curved around the outer border normally reads:- *C.П.Б.T.OTП.TO or S.P.B.T.OTP.TO in the Latin alphabet. On this seal it looks to be TA.OT and from the remaining bottom bits of the letters at the top it appears that the Roman letter S has been used instead of its Cyrillic version C giving ???S.П.Б.TA.OT but much is missing.
Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: A Guide to Identification, Usage and Anglo-Russian Trade in the 18th and 19th Centuries
by John Sullivan. Published by Oxbow Books, does not appear to mention this type.
From Paul Cannon, "Based on the other custom’s seal TA can probably be expanded to ‘ТАможня’ and TOB to ‘ТОВар’? Whilst I can’t yet find any of the more common British types (with a blank reverse) on Russian sites perhaps this indicates they were attached to exported goods? I wonder if OTP can be expanded to ‘ОТРасль’ with the meaning of ‘department/section/branch’. The full inscription might therefore be expanded to С.П.Б. ТАможня ОТРасль ТОВар ie ‘St Petersburg customs department goods’??"
From Ged Dodd, "The date is read by starting with the 1 which is followed by a 7 or 8 and working round in a clockwise fashion .. reading the numbers as upright when they face the centre of the seal ..
This seal is therefore 1882 .. cross . *C.П.Б.TA.OTP.TO
The seals have a symbol in the centre taking many different forms .. this one has an orthodox cross in an eight pointed star, others are crescents, flowers, shields etc.
Cyrillic initials of City Customs Department Goods surround the rim .. the initials vary .. and can be as in this seal .. starting at *
*C.П.Б.TA.OTP.TO or contracted as *C.П.Б.T.OT.TO
C.П.Б (St Petersburg)
TAMOЖHЯ (Customs)
OTPACЛЬ (Department)
TOBAP (Goods)
(Riga seals have *РИЖОИ.ТА.ОТ.ТО)
These seals do not specify what the goods are and they were for general use with all goods.
see ref IDS 1197 on The PeaceHavens Project, Seal Numbers 1101 - 1200 and The PeaceHavens Project, Circular Dated Seals."
