BSG.BS.00876 — Russian Bale Seal, Archangel, 1839

Found near Montrose in Angus, Scotland, 31mm.

First side:- First line - АРХ.БР = ARkh.BR = Archangel.Brack (inspected) Second line - КРОНЪ = KRON = Crown, the contents of the bale Third line - 3 COPTЪ = 3 SORTB = 3rd Grade Fourth line - Е.Ш. = E.Sh. = initials of the owner or producer or agent Fifth line - 1839 = year when grading took place.

Second Side:- First line - ДЕСЯТ - an abbreviation of Desyatnik = rank of quality control officer. Second & Third line - МИХАИ. / ЛЕПИХ. = MIkhAI. / LEPIkh - the Christian and surname of the quality control officer - very likely to be Mikhail Lepikhin (an 1846 Archangel crown seal with this officer's name on is held in the Kirkaldy Museum & Gallery).

See Figs.47b - 52b, p.59 & 60, Russian Cloth Seals in Britain: Trade, Textiles and Origins by John Sullivan, 2012.

From Ged Dodd, "See IDS402 at The PeaceHavens Project, Seal Numbers 401 - 499"