Click here for the Project Site Map and Links

 The PeaceHavens Project

Copyright 2020 © Ged Dodd
aka PeaceHavens Project
Click here for the terms
of free copy & share &
supporting your Project

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PeaceHavensProject/ ..

 

Russian Flax/Hemp Bale Seals

 

Ged Dodd's New Rules for identifying Crossed Key Flax Seals

  There are lots of seals with crossed keys from all over Europe. Flax seals have round circular bows O whereas other crossed keys have all sorts of weird and wonder shapes.

 If it is not round it is not flax.

There are two kinds of Crossed Key Flax Seals. True Riga or another city.

 + Riga have the cross of St George (as in an English flag)

 The bits are full with internal lines.

 The bows are perfectly round and LARGE.

 The grading number is 1, 2 or 3.

  X Other Cities have the Saltire Cross (as in a Scottish flag).

 The bits are empty squares with nothing in them.

 The bows are perfectly round and SMALL.

 The grading number can be absent, 1, 2, 3 or 4

 

Riga Crossed Keys Flax Seals

  Riga obtains its flax chiefly from White Russia and Marienburg in Livonia. Riga flax seems to deserve the preference of any imported from the Baltic. It is the growth of the provinces of Marienburg, Druania, Thiesenhausen and Lithuania. The best Marienburg is called simply Marienburg M or Marienburg Clean. The second quality cut GM and the third Risten Dreyband RD. Of the three other provinces the first quality bears the name of Rakitzer as Druania Rakitzer DR, Thiesenhausen Rakitzer TR. and Lithuania Rakitzer LR. The cut flax of these three provinces is the second quality and to the third quality belong the Badstub and Cut B and BG, the paternoster PN, and Hafs Three Band HD. Badstub and Paternoster is the refuse of the Rakitzer flax and the Three Band. The refuse of the former sorts and consequently very ordinary.

 Riga crossed keys flax seals are dated from the early 18th to mid 19th century when the keys had round bow rings.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -

 Click Here for more Riga History and Tax Seals

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -

Russian Flax Bale Seals

Crossed Keys Types from Baltic Port Riga.

Flax seals from Riga bear the crossed keys of the city arms.

Some of these seals may also be St Petersburg .. see note (SPB)

Russian flax bale seals are the "bulla" type, a disc with a tunnel

 from side to side through which a string or wire is passed.

 

** Because we have not physically seen the seals from "Museums & Other Sites" we can not vouch for their 100% accuracy.

The soft lead  are easily distorted which makes the Cyrillic alphabet very difficult to read and mistakes are common.

 

 

Lead Flax Bale Seals from the Baltic City Port of Riga.

On occasions Riga inspected flax and hemp were shipped via Konigsberg.

 

 

The important parts of a key for us are the bow and the bit.

We are looking for a cross + between the bits and a grading number 1, 2 or 3 between the bows.

 


        Deciphering Riga Cross Keys Seals .. example

obverse

Crossed

Keys with

+

 The crossed keys are the Arms of the City of Riga, but also of other cities.

 To be a Riga seal there must be a + between the bits, at the top,

and a number 1, 2 or 3  between the bows at the bottom to indicate the grading.

 (A cross in the form of a X may indicate hemp)

 reverse

 

blank

The reverse of a Riga seal is usually blank. We do have

a couple of examples of X types with a 4, (which could be 4 band quality hemp)

and Pst which could suggest St. Petersburg for the X seals.

- - - - - - - -

The City Arms are used on their own for Driebandt (Threeband) flax in

  Memel and this could well be the case for Riga and other Baltic States ports.

 

        Notes:- variations are numerous.

  From the late 18th Century Riga had a method of grading flax for sale on the world  markets which, unfortunately, was committed to paper, and not put on the seals. Project member Sebastian Graham located reports in the Belfast Linen Trade Circular for 1863 which gave the grades of flax available from Riga to the UK for that time.    In order of quality and price, WFPHD (White Fine Picked,Yellow Threeband flax),  WFPK (White Fine Picked Crown flax), HFPK (Yellow Fine Picked Crown flax)  FPK (Fine Picked Crown flax), PK (Picked Crown flax whilst a bundle from the port of Koenigsberg was FWPCM (Fine White Picked Crown Marienburg flax). 

  The letter on the right of the group was called the base letter to which other letters were added at the front to further describe the flax.   The code for Riga grades and types which was also used at some other ports

RUSSIAN FLAXES RELATIVE VALUE ..  From Yarns & Fabrics by Fred Bradbury 1920

 #  

Market

Base Mark

Quality, Mark and Relative Value to the Base Mark

1

RIGA

K

PK

SPK

ZK

R

 

 

Crown

 Flaxes

Krown

base £

Picked

Krown

+£3

Superior

Picked Krown

+£7

Zinc Krown

+£10

 Rakitzer

+£13/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

HOFF

HD

PHD

FHD

SFHD

XHDX

XRX

 

Crown

 Flaxes

Hoff's

Threeband

base £

Picked Hoff's

Threeband

+£3

 Fine Hoff's

Threeband

+£6

Superior Fine Hoff's

Threeband

+£9

 Extra Hoff's

Threeband

+£12

Extra

Rakitzer

+£16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

 PERNAU D LOD OD D HD R G

Crown

Flaxes

Driebandt Threeband

base £

  Livonia Ordinary Driebandt

minus £6

 Ordinary Driebandt

minus £3

 Driebandt Threeband

base £

 Hoff's

Threeband

+£4

 Rakitzer

+£8

Best

+£11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  3 = Threeband

  4 = Fourband is superior to 3-band , both exported to England from Libau & Memel.

  B = Badstuben, a type of Threeband (Drujaner & Coupland flax)

  BG = Badstuben Geschnitten, Badstuben Cut (as above)

  CM = Crown Marienburg.

  CR = Courland Rakitzer was not as good as the other Rakitzers

  CPH = Crukken Pass Hemp .. preferred types are from Russia and Poland

  D = Driebandt, Threeband. The City Arms used alone for Threeband flax in Memel.

  DC = Druana Crown from Tilsit

  DD = Drujaner Dreibandt, Drujaner Threeband .

  DR = Druana (Drujaner) Rakitzer, High Quality White Russian .

  DRD = Drujaner Risten Dreibandt, Drujaner Bundle Threeband was fine in fibre, moderately long, clean,

              soft, white, silver coloured and fit for spinning the finest yarns.

  DW = Dreibandt Wrack, Threeband Brack

  F = Fein, Fine

  FHD = Fein Hoff's Driebandt, Fine Hoff's Threeband;

  FPHD = Fein Puik Hoff's Driebandt, Fine Picked Threeband. (Portuguese)

  FPK = Fein Puik Kron, Fine Picked Crown.

  FPSD = Fein Puik Slansky Driebandt, Fine Picked Slanitz Threeband, Fine Pink Slansky threeband.

  FWPCM = Fine White Picked Crown Marienburg flax from the port of Koenigsberg. 

  G. German

  G = BEST from Pernau

  G = Geschnitten, cut rejected crown.

  G = Grau, Grey.

  GRD = Geschnitten Risten Dreibandt, cut bundle threeband.

  GW = Giligen Brack, Low Grade Threeband.

  H = Hell, Heel, Light, Yellow.

  H = Heide, TOW when used as the base letter  . 

  HD = Hoffdreibandt, Hoff's Threeband (English) from Livonia.

  HFPK (Hoff) Yellow Fine Picked Crown flax. 

  K = KPOHЪ (Kron) Crown is high quality long strong filament flax. Better grades are PK, FPK & ZK.

  KPC = Konigsberg Podolia Crown from Tilsit

  KRK = Kourland Rakitzer Kron, High Quality Courland Rakitzer Crown.

  LC = Lithuanian Czukken hemp is as Rein Hemp but less oily and soft.

  LD = Leiden Dreibandt, Lieden Threeband.

  LD = Lithuanian Dreibandt, Lithuanian Threeband.

  LD = Livonian Dreibandt, Lindlandischan Threeband from Livonia

  LH = Livonian Hoffdreibandt, Livonian Threeband Hoff from Livonia

  LOD = Livonian Ordinary Driebandt, Threeband.

  LR = Lithuanian Rakitzer, High Quality Lithuanian flax but not as good as the other Rakitzers

  LRK = Lithuanian Rakitzer Kron, High Quality Lithuanian Krown flax

  LS = Lithuanian Slanitz .. dew retted via Riga .. also called Wellish Slanitz or Wiasma Slanitz

  M = Marienburg or Marienburg Clean, High grade Crown, a source of best quality Livonian flax for Riga.

  MБ possibly Marienburg Badstube, a second grade flax from Riga .

  MG = Marienburg Geschnitten, Second Quality Marienburg.

  MR = Marienburg Rakitzer = equivalent quality to Rein Hemp, Rhine Hemp

  MRC =  MC = Mohilow Russian Czukken hemp

  MRD = Marienburg Risten Dreibandt, Marienburg Bundle Threeband.

  NB = Notabene is another name for Paternoster

  NC = Newstadt Crown from Memel

  NP = Paternoster is also Badstuben Cut (Sent to Portugal)

  O = OTБOPHЬII (OTBORNI) is Select grade

  OC = Oberland Crown from Tilsit

  OD = Ordinary Driebandt, Threeband.

  OH = OUTSHOT is short second sort hemp. 

  P = PICKED,  Puik (Pink)

  PD = Puik Driebandt, Picked Threeband,   pink threeband.

  PH = Puik Heide, PIicked Tow flax

  PH = PASS HEMP .. usually from Lithuania or Samogitia.

  PHD = Puik Hoff's Driebandt, Picked Threeband. (French) Pink Threeband from Livonia.

  PK. Pass Krown (flax) is very short but clean and  free of woody particles.

  PK = Picked Krown (Pink Kron) flax.

  PLD = Puik Livonian Dreibandt, Picked Linlandischan Threeband  ..  Pink Dreibandt from Livonia.

  PSD = Puik Slansky Driebandt, Picked Slanitz Threeband,  pink Slansky threeband

  PW = Puik Wrack, Picked Brack, Pink Wrack flax

  PZ (ПЗ) is possibly ПEH ЗAБPAKЪ lowest quality hemp codilla.

  R (chista = clean) from Hemp seal of 1733

  R = Risten, bundles

  R = Rakitzer

  R = Risten, Bundle.

  RC = MRC = Mohilow Russian Czukken hemp

  RG = Rakitzer Geschnitten, lowest grade of Crown Cut Rakitzer.

  RH (MR) Rein (Rhine) Hemp is the longest best hemp, oily, strong and free of

    Codilla and woody particles .. sometimes listed as MR = Marienburg Rakitzer

  RSC = Russian Slanitz Crown from Memel

  S. Select is soft, silk-like flax in 3 grades

  S. Spinning grade

  S. Superior grade

  S = Sanft, Sweet, Superior

  SD = Slansky Driebandt, Slanitz Threeband. (

  SFHD = Superior Fine Hoff's Threeband.

  S G = cut

  SH = Slansky Heide, Slanitz Tow

  SPK = Superior Picked Krown

  TR = Thiesenhausen Rakitzer, a type of High Quality Lithuanian flax grown on the estate of Count

     Thiesenhausen was of long harle, strong, even, clean, white and soft.

  W = Weiss, White .. is made up in bundles of 12, 9 and 6 heads called bobbins.

  W = Wrack (Brack) Bracked flax

  WC = Wilna Crown from Memel

  WFPHD White Fine Picked, Yellow (Hoff) Threeband flax

  WFPK White Fine Picked Crown flax

  WK = Wilma Krown on reverse of seals replacing NP

  WS = Wellish Slanitz or Wiasma Slanitz

  XHDX = Extra Hoff's Threeband flax

  XRX = Extra Rakitzer flax

  ZABR, ZABRACK, (ЗAБP, ЗAБPAKЪ) lowest quality hemp

  ZK = Zinc Crown (Zins Kron) flax

 

Let's start with seals that are not Riga

DON'T BE FOOLED BY LEAD TRADING TOKENS

and OTHER CROSSED KEYS CITY ARMS SEALS

 

  This is a lead trading token not a Riga Flax seal --  On a Riga seal the key wards (the tangs) face in opposite directions, one clockwise and one anti-clockwise .. but in this token both wards face clockwise .. On Riga seals their is a cross + between the rings but here there is a crescent shaped symbols C on the token which are the bases of ship anchors .. a Christian symbol stating that their religion is anchored in Jesus Christ .. similarly there is a Christian fish or key symbol on the reverse .. the Cyrillic letters appear to be ПС (PS) and...  Riga flax seals are always blank on the reverse .. whichever city this is.. it is not Riga and it is not a seal.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

From Carnforth, Lancashire                               and Coimbra, Portugal

 

 
  German Crossed Key and Sword No. 3 Grade Flax Seals - not Riga  

 

   Cross Keys at

 St Peter's Church

 Nottingham. UK

 

 

   A cloth seal from Leiden

 City in Holland. The keys

 are on a shield with no

 numbers.

  

 

 Regensburg

 City Arms

 Germany

 

 

  Leiden City Arms

 

 

  Vatican

City Arms

 

  Two Crossed Keys seals which, if not from the City of Leiden in the Netherlands, they have

the Tiara coats of arms of the Holy See and Vatican City State. Found at Oudenaarde

(Flanders) in Belgium. These seals do not  have the Riga cross + or the numbers 1,2 3 flax

 grades... they have a crown or Tiara coat of arms and the letters H A G.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Two keys cloth seals but from Leiden in 1661 - definitely not Riga

 

This 1573 Silver Coin from Riga illustrates

what is needed for an item to be from Riga.

Crossed Keys with a cross + between the bits

 

 

 

The bows of 14th century were fancy with three loops but

when the bows of the crossed keys are circular it indicates

a seal dating from the the late 18th to early 19th century.

All flax seals have circular bows on the crossed keys but

unfortunately this seal has nothing to do with flax and is

probably a company seal of a foreign company especially

as it has RIGA written between the keys in Latin script

and is suggestive of a customs tax ..  This seal comes from

a French source and the reverse is blank.

  Found at Bentham Mills

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

R

b01

+
crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga

  +    x 

Crossed Keys with a + are Riga City.

 Keys with a X are from other cities trying to mimic the quality of Riga flax

 The reverse is usually blank but the letters PSt  and a 4 indicates FOURBAND flax which was superior to 3-band - exported to England  from Libau & Memel.

Below the keys is a number 1, 2, 3 indicating the quality of the flax. 1 is 1st grade or sort , the top quality.

  Letters such as B for Bracked (inspected)

 or Badstuben,  a type of THREEBAND

 (Drujaner & Coupland flax) and TW (possibly customs tax paid) TAMOЖHЯ occur on the obverse on very rare occasions.

click Riga City Arms Seal

R

b02

+

 crossed keys

2

usually

blank

Riga

R

b03

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

R

b04

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

R

b05

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga
           

 

  Found at West House Mills

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

 Notes

Riga

w01

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

 

DATING CROSS KEY SEALS

 

Considering the largest number of Riga X seals have been found at West House Mills it would suggest they were most prevalent during the time of the dated seals at that mill .. which means in the latter part 18th century to the early 1800's.

 

..Paul Cannon notes ..

A reference to what is probably a lead seal attached to hemp is to be  found in a document in the National Archives: from Robert Thornton, hemp merchant, of Mark Lane.

   Receipt of letter from the Portsmouth Officers complaining of the heat in the delivery of hemp. But Hemp or flax delivered in the summer season will always be very hot. The Prospero, Captain Adam Rigden, is delivering hemp which will doubtless be very hot. He has never known a Ropemaker complain of the quality of the hemp and his hemp meets his contract so he asks that the Ropemaker should check the quality and that his ships should be immediately unloaded.

  The hemp has been well cured otherwise it would not have passed the Barack at Riga, which is proved by the mark on the roundels. The document is dated  7 July 1732. If the marked ‘roundels’ are indeed lead seals then this date is earlier than the dated seal so far recovered of 1737 for St Petersburg.

 Riga is specifically referred to and it is possible that they are plain crossed keys type and if so, then some of these may be earlier than has been assumed.

  Ged Dodd adds that ...

none of these Riga seals have an inscription stating whether they are hemp or flax .. but hemp seals carry the notation SPB, CПБ for Saint Petersburg  (except one seal from Archangel)   but I believe this notation was used for all hemp bales regardless of the port of dispatch .. which may have been ..via St Petersburg, Riga, Port Narva, Reval, Pernau, Libnau, Memel, Windau or even Archangel.

Riga

w02

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w03

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w04

blank

Blank

 

Riga

Narva

Riga

w05

X

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Not Riga

Riga

w06

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

 Riga

Riga

w07

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

 Riga

Riga

w08

X

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Not Riga

Riga

w09

x

 crossed keys

2

usually

blank

not Riga

Riga

w10

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w11

X

 crossed keys

2

usually

blank

Not Riga

Riga

w12

+

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w13

X

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Not Riga

Riga
w14

+

 crossed keys

1

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
w15

X
 crossed keys
1

usually

blank

Not Riga

Riga
w16

+

 crossed keys

1

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
w17

+

 crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
w18

+

 crossed keys
2

usually
blank

not Riga

Riga
w19

+

 crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga
           
           
           

 

  Found at Aked High Mills  * found at Whinny Hill

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga
 AWX1

X

 crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Not Riga

*

Riga
 AWX2

X

 crossed keys
2

usually
blank

Not Riga

*
     

 

  Found at Little Patrick Mills

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

L01

x

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

not Riga

  

Riga

L02

x

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

not Riga

Riga

L03

X

 crossed keys

1

usually

blank

Not Riga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Found at Knaresborough

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

Kn01

+

 crossed keys

-

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

Kn02

+

 crossed keys

-

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

Kn03

+

 crossed keys

-

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

Kn04

+

 crossed keys

-

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

Kn05

+

 crossed keys

2

usually

blank

Riga

2nd

grade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Found at King Horn Mills in Fife

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

KH01

+

 crossed keys

2

blank

 Riga

Riga

KH02

+

 crossed keys

2

blank

 Riga

Riga

KH03

+

 crossed keys

2

blank

 Riga

Riga

KH04

+

 crossed keys

1

blank

 Riga

 

Riga

KH05

X

 crossed keys

2

blank

 Not Riga  
             
             

 

  Found at Folly Gill Mills

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

L03

x

 crossed keys

3

scallops

not Riga

 

 

  Found at Brompton Mills

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

BR
keys
001

+
crossed keys
2

blank

Riga
 city

 

BR
 keys
002

X
crossed keys
 no grade number

blank

Not Riga

the left hand side of the keys is missing

BR
 keys
003

X
crossed keys
1

blank

Not Riga

  
             

 

  Found at Arbroath

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Arb

X01

+

 crossed keys

2

blank

 Riga

 

Arb

X02

X

 crossed keys

2

blank

 Not Riga  

Arb X03

X

crossed keys

1

no photo

blank

1 ADMUS:

A1988.287

Not Riga

Arb X04

no photo

РИЖ 1787 (Riga Arms)

no photo

blank

2 ADMUS:

A1988.288

Arb X05

no photo

+ / crossed keys / 1

no photo

blank

7 ADMUS:

A1988.294

  

Arb X06

no photo

+ / crossed keys / 3

no photo

blank

13  ADMUS:

A1988.301

  

Arb X07

no photo

+ / crossed keys / 2

no photo

blank

28  ADMUS:

A2000.87.3

  

Arb X08

no photo

+ / crossed keys / 1

no photo

blank

31  ADMUS:

A2003.53

Arb X09 

no photo

+ / crossed keys / 2

no photo

blank

39  ADMUS:

DBM.42179(a)
           

 

   Riga Customs Tax Flax Seals  (T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ = Customs Tax  .. W = Wrack or bracked flax) 

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

105

+

Crossed Keys

T  W

blank

blank

Riga

Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

 

 probably all tax seals
  IDS 105 Surju, Estonia
  IDS 219 Pernau, Latvia
  IDS 818 Aalborg, Denmark
  IDS 896 Svenstrup, Denmark
  IDS 1101 Aalborg, Denmark

    W = Wrack, Bracked Flax

IDS

219

+

Crossed Keys

T  W

blank

Riga

Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

IDS
818

 +
crossed keys
 W T W		 ? Riga

Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

IDS
896

 +
crossed keys
 W T W		 ? Riga

Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

IDS
925

+
Crossed Keys
F

no photo

blank

Riga

IDS
1101

+
T crossed keys K
?

blank

Riga
Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

IDS

1457

(cross)

W Crossed Keys T
no grade number

blank

Riga
Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ
           

 

  Ident Service for Private Sources

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

011

x

crossed Keys

2 (grade)

blank

not Riga

 

 

 

 

 

St Saviour's Church, Riga, 1863

 

IDS

186

X

Crossed Keys

1

PSt

(Port St

Petersburg)

Not Riga

(SPB)

IDS

234

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

 

Riga

IDS

425

+

Crossed Keys

?

blank

Riga

IDS

583

+
crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga

IDS
614

+

crossed keys
1

blank

Riga

IDS
615

X

crossed keys
2

blank

Not Riga

IDS
616

+

crossed keys
1

blank

Riga

IDS
 787.1

+

crossed keys
2

no photo

blank

Riga

IDS
 787.2

+

crossed keys
.

no photo

????

Not a Bulla

English

City Cloth seal
Cr
031

+
Crossed Keys
3

no photo

blank

Riga
IDS
813		 +
crossed keys
2		 blank eBay
IDS
814		 +
crossed keys
1		 blank eBay
IDS
815		 +
crossed keys
 ?		 blank eBay

IDS
818

 +
crossed keys
W T W		 G ? possibly a

Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

IDS

875

+
crossed keys
 3

blank

Riga

IDS
899

 +
 crossed keys
 1		 blank Riga

IDS
913

x
Crossed Keys
1

blank

Not Riga

IDS
926

X
Crossed Keys

3

blank

Not Riga

IDS
944

X
Crossed Keys

2

blank

Not Riga
 IDS
971

+
 Crossed Keys
1

blank

 

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1004

X
Crossed Keys

1

blank

Not Riga

IDS
1018

+
crossed keys
1

no photo

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1036

+
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1076

X
crossed keys  B
1

no photo

blank

Not Riga

B is 1807
(flax)

 B = Badstuben, a type of THREEBAND (Drujaner & Coupland flax) 1st sort

IDS
1087

+
crossed keys
2

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1091

+
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1095

X
crossed keys
2

no photo

blank

Not Riga
(flax)

IDS
1223

+
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1233

X
crossed keys
1

blank

Not Riga
(flax)

IDS
1260

X
crossed keys
1

blank

Not Riga
(flax)

IDS

1310

+

Crossed Keys

1

no photo

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1320

R I G A

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga
probably

balsam

IDS

1334

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)
           
           
           

 

  More Seals

#

OBVERSE  click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

256

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

 

Riga

IDS

257

+

Crossed Keys

3

blank

Riga ?

IDS

258

+
Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga

IDS

264

+

Crossed Keys

blank

Not a Bulla

English

City Cloth seal

IDS

265

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

IDS

266

x

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Not Riga

IDS

559

x

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Not Riga

IDS
626

+
Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga ??

IDS
634

+
Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st grade flax)

IDS
1191

ф
crossed keys
 no grading number

no photo

blank

Riga seals

have a +
 (flax)

 IDS 1191 the jagged line motif may be a flowerless flax stem .. ф (F) may be a symbol for flax

IDS
1192

+
crossed keys
 2

blank

Riga
(2nd grade flax)
           
           

  More Seals

#

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

268

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

PAS SUR

-8DA072

A crossed keys seal in the British

 Museum brought to our attention

 by Stuart F Elton. This is not a

bulla flax seal but a rivet type

 cloth bale seal.

IDS

272

x

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Not Riga
PAS BERK

-279765

IDS

273

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

PAS leic

-a08606

IDS

274

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

PAS SWYOR

- B9EDC4

IDS

279

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

PAS YORYM

 - EC5B75

IDS

560

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

PAS SWYOR

-95DSB2

IDS

733

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

PAS SWYOR

-F5EA7C

IDS
1096

+
 crossed keys
1

blank

 

Riga

PAS - North Wales
(flax)

IDS

1308

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

PAS SUR-75FDE1

IDS

1320

R I G A

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga
probably balsam

IDS

1397

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1399

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1400

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1401

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1402

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1404

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1405

+

Crossed Keys
2

blank

Riga
2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1411

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1414

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1452

X

Crossed Keys
(no grade number)

usually

blank
CO

Not Riga

IDS

1454

+

Crossed Keys
3

blank

Riga
3rd Grade
(flax)

IDS

1464

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1465

+

Crossed Keys
 2

blank with scratches

Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1484

X

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Not Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1485

X

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Not Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1503

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1565

X

Crossed Keys
3

blank

Not Riga
(3rd Grade flax)

IDS

1589

+

Crossed Keys
2

blank

Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1590

X

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Not Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1595

+

Crossed Keys
(1,2 or 3)

blank

Riga
(? Grade flax)

IDS

1596

+

Crossed Keys
? (1,2 or 3)

blank

Riga
(? Grade flax)

IDS

1609

+

Crossed Keys
2

blank

Riga cloth seal
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1613

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga ?
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1614

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1615

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1616

X

Crossed Keys
2

blank

Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1623

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1631

X

Crossed Keys

(B bracked)
 2

blank

Not Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1668

+

Crossed Keys
2

blank

Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1689

X

Crossed Keys
no grade number

blank with
scratches

not Riga

IDS

1694

+

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st grade flax)

IDS
1705

+
Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS
1768

+
Crossed Keys
2

blank

  Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS
1796

 X
crossed keys
1

PSt

Port St Petersburg

 Not Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS
1818

+
 Crossed Keys
2

blank

Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS
1853

x
Crossed Keys
3

usually blank
(unknown letters)

Not Riga
(3rd grade flax)

IDS
1855

+
Crossed Keys
1

usually blank

Riga
(1st grade flax)

IDS
1905

+
Crossed Keys
1

usually blank

Riga
(1st grade flax)

IDS

1953

X

Crossed Keys
2

blank

Not Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

1974

X
Crossed Keys
?

usually blank

Not Riga

IDS

1986

X

Crossed Keys
2

blank

   Not Riga
(2nd Grade flax)

IDS

2030

R I G A

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga
probably

balsam

IDS
2097

X (non Riga)
Crossed Keys
B (bracked 1807)
4 (four band)

blank

non Riga
Libau, Memel
(flax)

IDS
2099

+ (Riga)
Crossed Keys
bows are missing
grading missing

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
2100

+ Crossed Keys
square filled bits
large round bows
grading number 1

no photo

blank

True Riga
(flax)

IDS
2101

+ Crossed Keys
square filled bits
large round bows
grading number 1

no photo

blank

True Riga
(flax)
           
           
           

  Aberdeen
ABD
019		 no photo +
crossed keys
1		 no photo blank Riga
(1st Grade flax)

   ABD019  19 ABDMS:   072697
ABD
020		 no photo +
crossed keys
1		 no photo blank Riga
(1st Grade flax)

   ABD020  20 ABDMS:  072698
ABD
021		 no photo +
crossed keys
1		 no photo blank Riga
(1st Grade flax)

    ABD021  21 ABDMS: 072699
           
           

 

  Ident Service for UK Detector Finds Database (UKDFD)

#

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

250

+

Crossed Keys

-

blank

 

Not Riga

UKDFD 17533

 

Riga Harbour in the 19th Century

IDS

251

x

Crossed Keys

2

blank

 

Not Riga

UKDFD 38104

IDS

252

+

Crossed Keys

-

blank

blank

Riga

UKDFD 9415

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Cross Key Seals in John Sullivan's book

#

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

JS01

1893

+ Crossed Keys

БE ПPABA

(BE PRAVA)

PИЖCKИИ ЧEPHЫИ БAЛЬЗAMЪ

RIGA BLACK BALSAM

(BE PRAVA = WAS CORRECT)

26 ADMUS: M1998.94

 ISBN 978 1 86217 465 4

JS02

x

Crossed Keys

?

4
4 band
pass hemp

Not Riga

87 GGD 01

JS03

+

Crossed Keys

1

blank

blank

Riga
1 ADMUS: M1988.287

JS04

+

Crossed Keys

2

blank

blank

Riga

17 WE 08

JS05

+

Crossed Keys

3

blank

blank

Riga

10 PERMG: 2000.243.9

DUN

015

no photo

+

Crossed Keys
 2

no photo

 blank

Riga
15 DUN:

1999.21(6)
FAL
18

no photo

+
crossed keys
1

no photo

blank

Falkirk
18 FALKM: 2003.3.4
FAL
19

no photo

+
crossed keys
1

no photo

blank

Falkirk
19 FALKM: 2003.3.5