Russian Bale Seal, Baltic States, Flax, NP, 1826, Image & Found by Ged Dodd.
Found in North Yorkshire.
First side:-
First line - N[P]
Second line - IS1(8?) = initials and numerals indicating the content of the bales.
Third line - 1826 = date of assessment.
Second side:-
First line- (Л?)Д = (L?)D = l'nyanoy dosmotr = Flax Inspection.
Second & Third line - ?:ДЕМ / ЯНОВБ = ?:DEM / YaNOV name of quality control officer**.
Fourth line - H70 = N70 = number of work station used by QA officer.
Russian Flax quality control seal.
See Fig.4b and section 5.2.4.1, p.21, *Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: Trade, Textiles and Origins by John Sullivan.
**This quality control officers name is recorded in Sullivan's book as Demyanov. There are six seals recorded with this name with dates ranging from 1786 to 1818 but preceding initials show there are at least two people using this name, S. and E. (+E.B.). This one is probably E from the little of the letter that can be seen.
Ged Dodd has found several hundred of these seals in the same field and is well aware of the importance of this magnificent find. He is researching them and an excellent overview is provided on his website The PeaceHavens Hoard of Russian Lead Flax Bale Seals found near to Bentham in 2013. He provides the following useful information, "the flax in the bales was used in the local mills to make sails for the navy .. and hemp was used to make ropes for the navy .. locals say Admiral Nelson's ship used sails made in the village."
Also from his site IDS 48:- NP / IS12H / 1826 // ЛД = LD / E.ДEMЯHOBЬ = E.DEM'YANOV / H 70
