Russian Bale Seal, Archangel, 1879

Russian Bale Seal, Archangel, Image & Found by Bob Gunnis.
Found in North Lincolnshire, 25mm.

A flax or hemp bale seal, probably from Archangel.

First side:-
First line - .Д(О?).
Second line - (Б?)А.РГА
Third line - (Н?)СБ(Т?)

Second side:-
First line - ????
Second line- ARCHAN
Third line - .CPL.
Fourth line - possibly a date?

A most unusual seal with what appears to be a mixture of Roman and Cyrillic script crudely engraved.

This seal is also recorded as PAS NLM-893311.

From Paul Cannon,
"I am wondering if the seal might read:
1.ДС
2.ВА.РГА
3.[..]ОВЪ
4.????

1.ПЕN(?)
2.ARCHAN
3.GEL
4.[17]79

The form of the A’s in Archangel seems unique and deliberately different to
the A’s on the other face which are almost old style. As Stuart says it is a
mix of Cyrillic and Latin letters.

The letter before the O in line 3 has two vertical strokes so could be an H
(N) giving the possible name Varganov which is a Russian surname I think.
The only word I could make out for line 1 is ‘Pen’ with Latin N but Cyrillic
П. ‘Port’ of course makes more sense but I can’t see this."

From Ged Dodd,
"Obverse:- ДC = DS / ВА.РГАНОВЪ
ДC = DS indicates an inspector of flax and/or hemp
inspector BA.RGANOV ..pronounced Arrr-gan-off (It would have been Vargonov except for the .)
Reverse:- TEN / ARCHANGEL / 1779
TEN in Russian is DESYATNIK, a Quality Control Officer - who was selected by ten brackers who worked under their direct supervision to carry out the inspection and certify on their behalf the bundle to which the seal was fastened. Variations are ДЕС, ДЕСЯCK, ДЕСЯТ, ДЕСЯТC, ДЕСЯТCK, ДЕСЯТH, ДЕСЯТHИKЪ,ДЕСЯТЬHИKЪ, ДeСЯЦK, ДЕСЯЦKO, ДЕСЯЦKOИ working in Archangel in 1779. See ref IDS 1161 on [url=Russian Bale Seal, Archangel,]The PeaceHavens Project, Seal Numbers 1101 - 1200[/url]."