Riga Crossed Keys Flax Seal Database

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Russian Flax/Hemp Bale Seals

Riga Crossed Keys

Riga obtains its flax chiefly from White Russia and Marienburg in Livonia.

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

Riga was first time mentioned in written sources in 1198 as a town at small river Riga (Ridzene) in the land of Livonian people (Finnish tribe). City rights were granted in 1201 by the bishop Albert, initiator of christening and conquest of Livonian and Baltic people. He introduced also an explanation of city name as derived from Latin "rigata" ("irrigated"). It should symbolize an irrigation of dry pagan souls by Christianity. The first known picture of the city arms is from 1225 seal. It contains the main elements of arms: city gate with towers and two keys. The gate symbolizes city rights and keys symbolize St. Peter, first patron of Riga. In the upper part there was also a bishop's sceptre. It was replaced with the cross of Teutonic Order, when Riga fell to this Order.

1225 1368 1586
1707

This element of the arms was most flexible: every new senior of the city replaced it with his own symbol: Swedish king's or Russian emperor's crown, and the communists' five-pointed red star. The lion's head in the city gate was added after 1621, when most of Latvia fell to the Sweden. The Lion symbolized dependence to the Swedish Kingdom.

Two supporting lions were added to the arms no later than in 16^th century. Meaning citizens' power and bravery. The lions were derived from the Swedish national arms. Lions were substituted by halves of Russian eagle in the time of Russian empire (from 1710 to 1914).

1788 1904 1925 1988

In 1923 the lions were restored. In 1925 the new design of the arms was adopted. The arms were abolished in 1940, when Latvia was annexed by USSR. In 1968 efforts were taken to restore the arms with soviet-style adaptations. In 1988 the arms were restored similar to the arms of 1925, but with red five-pointed star. In 1990 the design of 1925 was confirmed again.

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

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.

*Crossed Keys*	*Post* No	*Bentham* *Mill*	*West House*	*Little* *Patrick*	*Brompton*	*Folly* *Knares*	*Kinghorn* *Cumbria*		*Private Finders*	*Ident*
Arms of Riga	no post	Rb01 Rb02 Rb03 Rb04 Rb05	Rigaw01 Rigaw02 Rigaw03 Rigaw04 Rigaw05 Rigaw06 Rigaw07 Rigaw08 Rigaw09 Rigaw10 Rigaw11 Rigaw12 Rigaw13 Rigaw14 Rigaw15 Rigaw16 Rigaw17 Rigaw18 Rigaw19	RigaL01 RigaL02 RigaL03	BRkeys001	KeysF01 RigaKn01 RigaKn02 RigaKn03 RigaKn04 RigaKn05	RigaKH01 RigaKH02 RigaKH03 RigaKH04 RigaKH05 RigaAW01 RigaAW02		Liverpool Estonia Whitby eBay Latvia St Andrews South Duffield N.Yorks Dundee eBay eBay eBay Colchester eBay eBay eBay Denmark Dundee Denmark	IDS11 IDS105 IDS186 IDS219 IDS234 IDS559 IDS560 IDS583 IDS614 IDS615 IDS616 IDS787 IDS813 IDS814 IDS815 IDS818 IDS875 IDS899
	*Museums and* other sites **			*Ident*	*Museums and* other sites **			*Ident*	*Museums and* other sites **	*Ident*
	PAS - SUR - 8DA072 PAS - BERK- 279765 PAS - LEIC- A08606 PAS SWYOR - B9EDC4 PAS YORYM - EC5B75 PAS YORYM - 95DAB2 PAS YORYM - F5EA7C UKDFD - 17533 UKDFD - 38104 UKDFD - 9415			IDS268 IDS272 IDS273 IDS274 IDS279 IDS560 IDS733 IDS250 IDS251 IDS252	6 KINCM:2000.102.20			Cr031	Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org Bagseals.org	IDS256 IDS257 IDS258 IDS264 IDS265 IDS266 IDS358 IDS559 IDS626 IDS634

** 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 another city)

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
1	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
2	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
3	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.

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

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

I am speculating that the + is used by Christian dealers & the X by non Christians (perhaps Jews,

of whom there were many in Riga) just as today's

Christians use the word Christmas and the socialist

media use the word Xmas, refusing to use the word Christ for fear of offending atheists and Muslims.

(Then again + could be flax and X hemp)

Riga flax Bale Seals with crossed keys and + , others have an X which is not strictly the Riga coat of arms.

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.

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

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.

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 there is no photo for the reverse ..

Found at Bentham Mills

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

b01

+
crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga

+ x

Crossed Keys with a + are Riga City.

Keys with a X may be St Petersburg see IDS 186

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

b02

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

b03

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

b04

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

b05

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Found at West House Mills

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

w01

crossed keys

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 prevelent 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 St Petersburg (except 1 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

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w03

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w04

blank

Blank

Riga

Narva

Riga

w05

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w06

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w07

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w08

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

(SPB)

Riga

w09

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w10

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w11

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

(SPB)

Riga

w12

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

w13

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

(SPB)

Riga
w14

crossed keys

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
w15

X
crossed keys
1

usually blank

Riga

Riga
w16

crossed keys

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
w17

crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
w18

crossed keys
2

usually
blank

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

crossed keys
1

usually
blank

Riga

Riga
AWX2

crossed keys
2

usually
blank

Riga

Found at Little Patrick Mills

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

L01

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

L02

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

Riga

L03

crossed keys

usually

blank

Riga

(SPB)

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

usually

blank

Riga

2nd

grade

Found at King Horn Mills in Fife

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

KH01

crossed keys

blank

Riga

KH02

crossed keys

blank

Riga

KH03

crossed keys

blank

Riga

KH04

crossed keys

blank

Riga

KH05

crossed keys

blank

Riga

Found at Folly Gill Mills

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Riga

L03

crossed keys

scallops

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

Riga
city

the left hand side of the keys is missing

BR
keys
003

X
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
city

Found at Arbroath

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

Arb

X01

crossed keys

blank

Riga

Arb

X02

crossed keys

blank

Riga

Arb X03

crossed keys

no photo

blank

1 ADMUS:

A1988.287

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

Riga

Customs Tax Seal
T = ТАМОЖЕНЯ

probably all flax 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

crossed Keys

2 (grade)

blank

Riga

Flax inspectors and merchants

on the quayside in Riga, Latvia

St Saviour's Church, Riga, 1863

IDS

186

Crossed Keys

PSt

(Port St

Petersburg)

Riga

(SPB)

IDS

234

Crossed Keys

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

crossed keys
2

blank

Riga
(SPB)

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

Riga

IDS
926

X
Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

perhaps

St Petersburg

IDS
944

X
Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

perhaps

St Petersburg

IDS
971

+
Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1004

X
Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

perhaps

St Petersburg

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

Riga
(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

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1223

+
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1233

X
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS
1260

X
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga
(flax)

IDS

1310

Crossed Keys

no photo

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1320

R I G A

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga
probably

balsam

IDS

1334

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

Ident Service for BagSeals.Org

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

256

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

IDS

257

Crossed Keys

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

blank

Riga

IDS

266

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

IDS

559

Crossed Keys

blank

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

X
crossed keys
2

blank

Riga
(2nd grade flax)

Ident Service for Portable Antiquities Scheme

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

268

Crossed Keys

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

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga
PAS BERK

-279765

IDS

273

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

PAS leic

-a08606

IDS

274

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

PAS SWYOR

- B9EDC4

IDS

279

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

PAS YORYM

- EC5B75

IDS

560

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

PAS SWYOR

-95DSB2

IDS

733

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

PAS SWYOR

-F5EA7C

IDS
1096

+
crossed keys
1

blank

Riga

PAS - North Wales
(flax)

IDS

1308

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

PAS SUR-75FDE1

IDS

1320

R I G A

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

IDS

1397

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1399

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1400

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1401

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

2nd grade
(flax)

IDS

1402

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

1st grade
(flax)

IDS

1404

Crossed Keys

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

Crossed Keys
(no grade number)

usually

blank
CO

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

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1485

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

IDS

1503

Crossed Keys
1

blank

Riga
(1st Grade flax)

Ident Service for UK Detector Finds Database (UKDFD)

OBVERSE click thumbnail

REVERSE click thumbnail

Notes

IDS

250

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

(SPB)

UKDFD 17533

Riga Harbour in the 19th Century

IDS

251

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

(SPB)

UKDFD 38104

IDS

252

Crossed Keys

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

Crossed Keys

4
4 band
pass hemp

Riga
(SPB)

87 GGD 01

JS03

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga
1 ADMUS: M1988.287

JS04

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

17 WE 08

JS05

Crossed Keys

blank

Riga

10 PERMG: 2000.243.9

Riga Excise Duty Seals
   The German Connection at Riga
During many centuries of war and changes of power in the Baltic, and despite demographic changes, the Baltic Germans in Riga had maintained a dominant position. By 1867 Riga’s population was 42.9% German. Riga employed German as its official language of administration until the installation of Russian in 1891 as the official language in the Baltic provinces, as part of the policy of Russianification of the non-Russian speaking territories of the Russian Empire, which included Congress Poland, Finland and the Baltics, undertaken by Tsar Alexander III.
More and more Latvians started moving to the city during the mid-19th century.

IDS

1286

ДРЕИМАНЪ
& БЛОКЪ
РИГА

DREYMANN
& BLOCK
RIGA

Latvia

IDS

1287

ДРЕИМАНЪ
& БЛОКЪ
РИГА

DREYMANN
& BLOCK
RIGA

Latvia

IDS

1500

ФАБРИКА (factory)
Ф.ЛУДВИГА (F.Ludviga)
въ РИГѢ (Head Office in Riga)

blank

product
unknown

The Adolph Sellmer Company
Adolph Sellmer resided at 11 Boulevard Nicolai in Riga - counter at number 5 of the Wallstrass (Adressbuch 1877 Riga) and was an import/export merchant who, like many other merchants of Riga, was doing Trade with Western Europe. It is thought he was a German Jew.

IDS
1296

A.SELLMER
RIGA

1886
UK

IDS
1297

A.SELLMER
RIGA

1887
Nigel Nicholson
UK Bagseals.org

IDS
1298

A.SELLMER
* RIGA

1903

Wim de Sutter
East Flanders
Belgium

JR & Company (Import Export)

IDS
1299

J R & Co
RIGA

1891

Wim de Sutter
East Flanders
Belgium

IDS
1300

J R & Co
RIGA

1925

  Wim de Sutter
East Flanders
Belgium

The Rūtenberga Tobacco Factory

IDS
828

A.G.RUHTENBERG
RIGA

K.KUCHCZYNSKI Co.

RIGA

from eBay

IDS
1268

A.G.RUHTENBERG
RIGA

K.KUCHCZYNSKI Co.

RIGA

from eBay

IDS
1289

A.G.RUHTENBERG
RIGA

K.KUCHCZYNSKI Co.

RIGA

from eBay

   The Rūtenberga tobacco factory was founded in 1839, and was created by the firm "Koffsky & Kuchczynski", which owned 100% of the company's shares. Originally, the company was named Dibinātājfirmas but one of the founding members - Konstantin Kučinska, 1861, died in 1864, whereupon Kučinska R.Simons, AG Rūtenbergs and V.Feldts bought shares . In 1877 and 1880 AG Rūtenbergs bought out the other two companion's brands and in 1881 AG Rūtenberg's company name was changed from "K.Kuczynski & Ko." to the "AGRuhtenberg". In 1905 the factory was inherited by Rūtenberg's three sons. Until 1890 the factory produced cigars, but in this year it also started to make cigarettes and cigarette tobacco. In 1907 the factory had 2 gas engines, 7 tobacco cutting machines, 8 cigarette wrapping machine, 2 paper cutting machines. At the beginning the factory had 700 workers. Rūtenberga cigarette factory can be described as women's business, because it employed 630 women. The turnover in 1907 was 1,060,000 rubles, of which 516 thousand rubles was paid in Excise Duty to the government.

Click on a thumbnail to see some of Ruhtenberg's cigarette brands

For Riga Black Balsam Seals click here RIGA BLACK BALSAM

    More Russian State Arms Custom Seals for Riga

#

OBVERSE click thumbnail
REVERSE click thumbnail

IDS
700

blank
Riga (detail)
Customs Seal

PIЖAПOPTA
Riga Port
1787
Ю   T     (key)

Falkirk

1 FALKM: 1985.74.4

see
IDENT

BR
Cust
001

blank
Customs Seal

PIЖOПOPTA
Riga Port
1781
Ю    T see
Brompton

IDS
342

blank
Customs Seal

PI*ЖAПOPTA
Riga Port
1792
Ю  arms T
see
IDENT

IDS
637

blank
Customs Seal

PIЖOПOPTA
Riga Port
1782
Ю arms   T
Adam Daubney
Gainsborough see
IDENT

IDS
1195

*РИЖОИ.ТА.ПЕН.Т
large oval
1808

Blank
Riga

large oval
(ПЕН = Hemp)
РИЖОИ = Riga
TAMOЖHЯ. = Customs
ПЕНKA = Hemp
TOBAP = Goods

IDS
1376

РИГСК.ТА.ОТ.ТО
182(9)
shield in centre

two pellets
usually blank
Riga

Kenneth Olsen
Vestfold
Norway

РИГСК (Riga)
TAMOЖHЯ (Customs) OTPACЛЬ (Department) TOBAP (Goods)

IDS

1471

ПОРТА PИЖСКОЙ
Riga Port
1788 Ю Russian arms T
(padlock)

The reverse usually has the double

headed Russian State Arms. When blank

there is a Ю symbol on the obverse ., a small

Russian State Arms Symbol, and a T for tax.

Arjen Spieß Winkel
Flensburg, Germany

RR18

М.Ж.Д (M.Zh.D)
MOSKOW RAIL ROAD
РИГА (RIGA)

16 // IV
16th APRIL

eBay

Latvia

RR19

М.Ж.Д (M.Zh.D)
MOSKOW RAIL ROAD
РИГА (RIGA)

18 // IV
18th APRIL

eBay

Latvia

The Crossed Anchor and Grapnel Seals

It was mistakenly thought that the Crossed Anchor & Grapnel represented ONLY Saint Petersburg.
Well it does but only when it is crossed with a Sceptre making it the capital of Russia but on their
own the Crossed Anchor and Grapnel have another meaning which is used for many cities with ports.
  The anchor on the left represents the sea, while the grapnel on the right represents the river.
Together they mean that the city has both river and sea ports.

IDS

1478

?ТРАНПОРТАРИЖСКОИ?
TRAN PORT RIGA
1728 Crossed Anchor/Grapnel
(padlock)

blank

found by
Arjen Spieß Winkel
Flensburg, Germany

IDS

1479

РИЖ/СКО/???/ПРТ
RIGA PORT
1727 Crossed Anchor/Grapnel
(key)

blank

found by
Arjen Spieß Winkel
Flensburg, Germany

Other ports with the Crossed Anchor and Grapnel on the database include



Archangel 1795      Novgorodskoi 1780    Kronshtadt 1779

19th Century Riga State Arms Custom Seals

In Russian   РИЖСК = Riga   TAMOЖHЯ = Customs Tax
Latvian MUITINE Таможенные органы The CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES

TAMOЖHЯ = Customs Tax

РИЖСК = RIGA . 1894

20th Century Riga State Arms Custom Seals
In Latvian   RIGAS MUITA is Riga Customs Tax Authority
Our Project Member Jacek Staniszewski suggests these small seals
were used for packages of postal documents, because those used for
Rye/Flax/Hemp/Flour/Railway and by Merchants are usually twice the size.

More Riga City Custom Tax Seals (РИЖСК)

More Riga City Custom Tax Seals (РИЖСК)

History of Riga Warehouse District

Riga in 1612 - http://www.spikeri.lv/en/spikeri-2/history/

    The Riga Warehouse district between present Maskavas, Turgeņeva and Krasta Street, until the liquidation of Riga fortress (from 1857 to 1863), was located outside the ramparts of the fortress and was known as Lastadija – which in German means cargo loading and unloading place. The first time Lastadija was mentioned in historical materials was in 1348 when boatmen, raftsmen, merchants, and peasants that had run away from their serf-owners lived in Lastadija and built here their huts. It was in the swampy lowlands, along the main road that led to the East, the first barns, warehouses and pubs began to appear. The first legal building in Lastadija was constructed only after 1582, when the building wood-only houses was allowed at sufficient distance from the city walls and ramparts. These rules were valid until the liquidation of the fortress. Mills, barns, warehouses, workshops, residential buildings, merchant's` farms, pubs, schools and churches have been built here. Exports of goods from the East to the West through Riga have played a significant role in making the city rich. Exports of such goods as grain, hemp, flax, mast trees and fat – dominated, but in the 18th century leaf tobacco, timber, sailcloth and other goods gained importance as exports. Demand for spars, barrel staves, the flax and hemp necessary for ship rigging was promoted by the growth of ocean navigation as a result of the major geographical discoveries, as well as by direct sea wars between maritime nations. The principles of good sorting and weighing were strict in Riga and they gave high incomes to the city. City scales have been set in the market places in Riga since the middle Ages; scales having to be used compulsory for the weighing of goods for export. The New scales placed in Lastadija became a special place, because it was not possible to re-weigh all goods using the Old scales in the Town Hall Square. In the 18th century, in Maskavas Street in the Red Sheds quarter the Hemp scales were located, and at the end of Kārļa Street the General Goods scales were located. On the Riga map in 1803, along the bank of the river warehouses are shown: potash, tobacco, wool, lime, hemp sheds, as well as other sheds for storage of different materials which were used for about a century.

Riga City in 1650



Riga waterfront in 1861

Riga 1899 Riga 1902 Riga 1902 Riga 1903 Riga 1903 Riga Station Riga 1905 Riga
Riga

Views of Riga - click on a thumbnail

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Director of The PeaceHavens Project.
and powered with free uploading from

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