- Riga: capital of Livonia
- Riga: numeral dotted postmarks
- Riga: letter without postage stamp to the Netherlands 1861
- Riga: the standard postmarks from 1860
- Riga: KRAG machine cancels
- Riga: more names and places in tsaristic Riga
- Riga: advertising sheet
- Riga: postmark of Riga and perforation of Moscow on a stamp
On anther part of the site (www.jkaptein.nl):
Beer on tsaristic postal stationeries, with also a beer ordering in St. Petersburg with a Latvian connection
RIGA: capital of Livonia
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In Baedeker's Russia -English edition 1914 p. 55- we read: "Riga (20 ft.), РИГА, Lettish Rihga, the capital of the government of Livonia, is situated in a sandy plain on both sides of the Dvina (p.31), here 1/2 M. wide, aboud 9 M. above its outh in the Gulf of Riga. Riga is, after St. Petersburg, the most important Russian commercial and industrial town on the Baltic Sea, and it is the headquarters of the 20th Army Corps and the residence of the Greek Catholic Archbishop of Riga and Mitau, as well as the seat of the National Consistory of the Lutheran Church.The population is estimated at 530,000." Here ft. is height in English Feet, M. is English mile. Map of Livonia, detail of a map from 'Wereld-Atlas voor kantoor en huiskamer / door J. Kuyper. - 1e Deel Europa. - Amsterdam : G.L. Funke, 1880 This picture is resized 50 %. All pictures below on this page, if not mentioned otherwise: scanned about 300 dpi. Then set right and cut out - noted the actual print size-, resized 25 % of this image and saved as jpg. |
Literature:
In: OEF 1992 ; nr. 2. - p. 10-16
[About: introduction of the (postal) history of tsaristic Riga]
RIGA: the transit period 1 January 1858 - 12 April 1860
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With the introduction of postage stamps -1 January 1858- also the necessity of cancellation comes into existence. In the beginning postmarks of the former period were still used for the date on the backside of the cover in combination with 'cancelling' by a writtencross in black ink. Of course this was not efficient and the cancellation coiuld be removes for re-using the postage stamp until the introduction of number-cancellations. Original print size of this image: 14,739 x 9,016 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
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The numbers "1" and "2" in circles of dots were introduced as number-cancellations for St. Petersburg and Moscow in circular no. 138 of 26 february 1858. The other towns had to use the old postmarks until the coming of new cancels.Circular no. 1847 of 31May 1858 introduced these kind of cancellations for whole Russia. The circular no. 157 of 17 august 1858 gives more details. A number (3 to 60) surrounded by points in the form of three concentric circles belongs to capitals of "guberniya", centers of districts, centers of militar districts, S.Petersburg and Moscow. #38 belongs to Riga as capital of Livonia gub. With the circular no. 53 of 12 April 1860 were introduced the new standard-postmarks in whole Russia. The number-dot cancellations were withdrew by circular 123 of 11 February 1863, with one exception: see the type below of Riga-station. | Resized 50% numeral dotted postmark 38 = Riga |
The Russian Empire used the old Julian calender to February 1918. For our calendar, which most countries also used in that period, 12 days must be added in the period after 28 February 1800 through 28 February 1900, and 13 days through 28 February 2100
For the district-postoffices, range under the government-offices, a second kind of these number-cancellations was used: a number in an rectangle of points. Also this type is used in Riga.
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This type with number 388 is used for the postoffice of Boldera, a suburb of Riga. . |
Finally in Riga is used a number in triangular cancellation with truncated corner for the sub-post offices.
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This type with number 700 is used for the postoffice in the Riga-Dünaburg railway station. |
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numeral dotted postmark 700 = Riga station, these type number-dot cancellations were withdrew by a circular of 20 October 1877 |
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Literature:
[S.l.] : J. Barefoot, cop. 1989. - 110 p.-
In: OEF 1992 ; nr. 3. - p. 18-21, - [About: dotted numeral postmarks and one-ring postmarks]
RIGA : letter without postage stamps 1861
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Letter from Riga, 4 July 1861, sent by Theodor Loeber. Before 1864 it was not possible to use postage stamps for post to other countries, and after 1864 it was not obliged. In 1876 the post introduced one rate for letters abroad: 8 kopeken (later 7 kopeken). Ordered in 1843, but real 1 January 1844, new uniform postal rates are introduced in whole Russia. Letter of 1 lot": 10 kop. in whole Russia Letters abroad get the same tariff on 1 November 1843 (10 kop. per lot), but this was as far as the border. This uniform tariff is maintained to 1875. After introduction of postage stamps (1857) international letters had to be paid in cash. With the Edict of 13 April 1863 postage stamps were allowed also for international letters, but only for not-insured letters and printed matters. In this period, so before the U.P.U.-treaty of 1875, the rate differs by destination. Original print size of this image: 14,707 x 16,028 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
to Constantinople: 20kop., 30 kop.
to Switserland: 27 kop.
to France: 37 kop., 74 kop.
to Greece: 30 kop. with postage due
The Post-treaty between Prussia and Russia of 1 January 1866, has also great influence on the tariffs. Woollam mentions also some letters from 1866:
to France 30 kop., 28 kop.
to Germany: 40 kop.
naar Italy: 28 kop. (not enough)
naar Great-Britain: 26 kop., 25 kop.
So it remained very complicated.
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Postmarks On the letter we see the stamp of the sender, Theodor Loeber. |
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The postmark - resized 50 %- 'Aus Russland': a Prussian stamp. |
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Date-stamp, resized 50 %. Inside the letter is indicated the dat 4 July 1861. I suppose this is the Gregorian date. The Russian Empire used the old Julian calender to February 1918.I For our calendar, which most countries also used in that period, 12 days must be added in the period after 28 February 1800 through 28 February 1900, and 13 days through 28 February 2100. So the stamp-date of Riga -22th- must be 22 June (is in the Gregorian calendar 4 July), arrival 8 July in the Netherlands (Arnhem). |
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The postmark Königsberg / Bromberg -resized 50 %- is a transit postmark. After the start of the German railways, there were two main ways from Russia passing the Polish border: via Königsberg-Eytkuhnen-Wirballen in the north and one more south via Bromberg-Thorn-Warsaw. Denis Vandervelde gives an overview of the transit -postmarks from Russia: the boxed postmark 'Aus Russland' , 34 x 10 mm is Type Ry4 in his classification, mostly in red, on not-paid letters 1858-1895. Early letter in this period have mostly the postmark of the railwaywagon of TPO-line Königsberg - Bromberg, as the letter above. FRom mid 1862 you see this 'Aus Russland' -postmark also on the route Eydtkuhnen-Bromberg (via Königsberg). According the theory of Mr. Kidd thre is used one sorting-wagon for both railway-postoffices. Railway postoffice 1 was Eydtkuhnen to Bromberg via Königsberg. Then Bromberg-Königsberg ; Königsberg-Bromberg (railway-postoffice 2). And back to Eydtkuhnen (there as railway-postoffice 1). Arrival postmark Arnhem- also resized 50 % |
Literature:
In: The Post-Rider 1996 ; no. 38. - p. 4-10 [rates to international destinations]
RIGA : the standard postmarks from 1860
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With the circular no. 53 of 12 April 1860 were introduced the new standard-postmarks in whole Russia. These postmarks are -as we see on the card here- one-ring postmarks with the date on three lines: day in arabic numerals, month in cyrillic abbrevation, year in four arabic numerals. In the top of the postmark: РИГА (RIGA) and under in the postmark the Main post office had a ornament. In the book of V. Marcilger is given a description of many sub-types. On this card the postmark is not so clear. The month 'АВГ' is short for АВГУСТ (AWGUST), August Original print size of this image: 12,556 x 8,949 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
 Original print size of this image: 14,817 x 8,416 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
The postmark of this cover has cearly an ornament at the bottom: the main postoffice. The postmark resized 50 %:  |
Literature:
In: OEF 1992 ; nr. 3. - p. 18-21, - [About: dotted numeral postmarks and one-ring postmarks]
The main-postoffice and city-postoffices
The main postoffice was situated in the old city: in the König- and Herrenstrasse, near the Kalkstrasse. In 1905 the main post-office moved to a new building in the Theater-boulevard. In Russia the delivering of post in the cities was done by separate 'city-post', not incorporated by the Imperial (state)post. With the post-reorganisation of 1885 the city-post offices and telegraph=offices were united with the Imperial (State)post.
In Riga thre was from 1875 city-post-offices, but it not clear under who was responsible for them before 1885.
The standard-stempel type I, described above, is used by the main post-office and the first city-postoffice. The Type II , described here below, the cross-date postmark, is used by the main postoffice and the first, second and third city-postoffice (sub-postoffices).
The double-ring-postmarks, type III, is used by the main-postoffice and city-postoffices (sub-postoffices) 1-9 .
Literature:
 Original print size of this image: 14,156 x 9,305 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
'Cross-date' postmark. In circular 13 of 5 April 1890 the instruction arrived to use Roman numerals for new stamps. This happened on suggestion of the U.P.U., the Universal Postal Union. Also the postmarks in Russia change in the 'crossed date'-type. In the middle the day stays first, under it the month (in Roman numerals), left of the whole the century and right the rest of the year: The postmark, resized 50%:  |
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The main post-office has used two series postmarks of this type. The first with text on the bottom: POCHT. KONTORA. This series has serial numbers 13 - 20. The second series has the text POCHTOV. KONTORA -as the postmark above here ПОЧТОВ (POCHTOV.) КОНТОРА (KONTORA). Possible serial numbers are 1, 2, 3. The other side of the card: |
Literature
In: OEF 1992 ; nr. 3. - p. 18-21, - [About: dotted numeral postmarks and one-ring postmarks]
 Original print size of this image: 9,186 x 14,063 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
On the other side a more clear postmark, resized 50 %: On this postmark we see also two stars and a serial-letter: the main post-office. When we have to do with a sub-postoffice (city-postoffice), the second star is replaced by the number of the sub-post-office. We call it here 'stars', but it are more 'ornaments': V. Marcilger shows in his book 16 different ornaments, used in this type postmark. The book gives also a detailed and extensive classification of the double-ring postmarks. |
Literature
In: OEF 1993 ; nr. 3. - p. 8-11. - [About: double-ring postmarks of Riga]
RIGA : KRAG machine cancels
About 1905 the Krag Maskin Fabrik in Oslo constructed a cancellation-machine. `With this machine it was possible to cancel 600 items in 1 minute.The letters and cards moved along the cancellation-cylinder.
The circumference of this rotating printing cylinder was 157 mm, with an outside-ring divided in four parts: two cancellations and two frames ('flags') (lines, etc.). The distance between two similar points of the postmark is thus always 157/2 = about 78 mm.
An rotating inkt-cylinder provided a constant inkting
After the introduction in Russia (1906) the machine were used in the great cities (1907-1908). According Kiryushkin & Robinson the machines were bought and paid by the local post authorities. So we see that the machines are used in great cities, but not in all, and also in more little towns. The first machines stood in Russia in St. Petersburg and Helsinki. The first known postmark is from Helsinki (Helsingfors), 20-7-1906. In Riga were placed more machines. V. Marcilgar (see literature below) mentions 19 june 1908 as date of the first machine cancellation of Riga. All cancellations were double-ring postmarks. In the Baltic there were also placed machines in Tallinn (Revel) and Tartu (Dorpat or Jurew.
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A machine postmark of РИГА (RIGA), with 8 lines. Sent 1-VIII-1908 from Riga to Berlin in Germany. Original print size of this image: 14,266 x 9,593 cm (is something more as the postal item) This is the earliest type machine cancellation of Riga, used from 19-VI-1908 to 23 IX 1912. It is the type of most frequent occurence. This type has 8 cancellation-lines and a star with six rays at the bottom and is used as sender-postmark. The diameter of the cancellation is 28,5 mm and without points in the date. The fouth line is -when carried further- in the centre-point of the date-cancel, the 8th line is -carried further- tangent of the date-cancel. In the date is no use of points after day, month and year. The ornament is one star. |
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A card with
... Seminary?
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A machine postmark of РИГА (RIGA), with 8 lines. Sent 5-VIII-1909 from Riga to Nancy in France. The same type as above. Original print size of this image: 14,080 x 9,254 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%:  |
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A machine postmark of РИГА (RIGA), with 8 lines. Sent 9-12-1910 from Riga to Freiburg in Germany. The same type as above. The type is very easy to recognize: 8 lines and 1 star ; the other types have two stars as ornament. Original print size of this image: 14,131 x 9,153 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
In 1912 the ornament (star) is replaced by an index-number 1, 2, 3, 4. These numbers have -probably- nothing to do with numbers of town-postoffices. The ornament or empty place and numbers changed in a short time in the same postmark, so one can suppose that the machines were only used on the head-postoffice. For Marcilger there are seven main-types of the machine-cancels.
Distance between the -great arrows- two similar points: 78 mm
In the book of Marcilger there is a desscription of the development of this postmark. The oldest postmarks are clear and the star has thin sharp rays. By bad maintenance the postmarks became unclear. In this one of December 1910 the line under in the date-cancel right is more damaged, the rays of the star are not so thin and sharp. The letters and cards were transported -upside down - along a metal trench, pushed by an milled (serrated) cylinder. Sometimes this cylinder get also some inkt and that caused the milled sign on the upper edge as you see above.
There are two types of these tracks of the milled cylinder:
This one: | And from a card below (little italic lines): |
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The nice other side of the card with the statue of Peter the great in Riga. The statue is made by the German artist Gustav Schmidt-Kassel and is placed in Riga in 1910 on the Aleksandra boulevard. In 1915 it is demontated for transporting it to St. Petersburg. A German submarine destroyed the ship and it gone away in the sea. In 1934 it is found by Estonian divers and it came back to Riga. The name of the street was then changed to Brivības iela (Freedom street), and on the old place was since 1935 placed the new Monument of Freedom. The statue of Peter the Great is repaired in 2003, paid by the merchant Yegeny Gomberg. He erected it on a new place -without permission- in Kronvald Park, on the area of the Riga Harbour Authority. For ultra-nationalists it was a pro-Moscow provocation. When Gomberg should get a penalty, someone else intended to pay for him. So an old statue gives political meaning. The card below is with the same type cancel: 1 star, so type 1, but a later date: 8-6-1911. As you can see, here below, this later postmark is more damaged, caused by the intensive use of the machine. | 
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Original print size of this image: 14,029 x 9,127 cm (is something more as the postal item). The postmark, resized 50 %: |
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 Aside: the other side of the card with the park near the theatre. |
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From 29-X-1910 (or earlier: 5 VI 1910) to 9-X-1912 (last known postmark) there is a new type machine-cancel: with 4 lines and two stars as ornament, so together with the first, oldest type(19-VI-1908 to 23 IX 1912). So it is clear that there was then a second machine in use.
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This card is sent from the -now Estonian- place ТАЙВОЛА (TAIWOLA), in Estonian called Taheva. Date in cancel: 22.III.1912. This second type of the Krag machine cancellations in Riga, has points in the date after day, month and year. On 8.V.1912 you can see first time the indexnumber '2' , below in the postmark, in this type cancellation. Original print size of this image: 14,182 x 9,229 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
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Cancellation, resized 50 %:
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In this type 2 of the machine cancellation, the distance lines of the datebridge is 8 mm (outside) and 8 (inside), so a thin line. This according Marcilger, and on this card it is about 8 indeed. (the lines are something damaged). In type 1, above, the distances are 8,6 mm and 7,2 mm (according Marcilger, on the card above I think more 8,5 and 10 ) and you can see that the lines are more thick. |
| Type 1 | Type 2 | Type 3 | Type 4 | Type 5 | Type 6 |
| 8 lines | 4 lines | 8 lines | 4 lines | 8 lines | 4 lines |
| 1 star | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars |
| no points in date | points in date | no points in date | points after day and month, but not after year | points in date | points in date |
| the distance lines of the datebridge 8,6 mm (outside) 7,2 (inside) | the distance lines of the datebridge 8 mm (outside) 8 (inside) thin For date: little space | the distance lines of the datebridge 12,2 mm (outside) 9,6 (inside) |
the distance lines of the datebridge 13,5 mm (outside) 11,2 (inside) | the distance lines of the datebridge 14 mm (outside) 10,2 (inside) thick |
the distance lines of the datebridge 14,5 mm (outside) 12 (inside) For date: much space |
From 1914 to 1917: very little post to and from Riga, so it is difficult to distinguish types of machine-cancels. In 1914 thre are also used 'mute'machine cancels, very rare, see below.
From the beginning of 1915 to the occupation by the Germans: the cancels become more damaged and unclear.
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Clearly type 3, the date 16 IV 1913, and: 8 lines (last is not good printed) (so not type 2, 4 or 6) two stars (so not type 1) no points in date (so not type 5), and also the "A" in Riga is in both datecancels pointed (not so in type 5 as we shall see below) Original print size of this image: 14,131 x 9,178 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
Resized 50 %:
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This machinecancel is also type 3: 8 lines, two stars, no. points in date, and the date fits in the table above. Original print size of this image: 13,928 x 9,229 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%:  |
| The card is issued to commemorate the Romanov-jubilee in 1913. In 1913 is also issued the famous Romanov-jubilee stamps, as you see on the card. |  |
| Here we see type 5: 8 lines, used 13 VIII 1913 to 29 V 1915 (or 16-8-1916).
Mr. Marcilger mentions also some distinguishing marks of this type: Original print size of this image: 14,080 x 9,254 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
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| On the written side the date is indicated by two ways: the Russian Julian date, and the western Gregorian date. |  |
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A machine postmark of РИГА (RIGA), with 8 lines.
Original print size of this image: 13,699 x 9,152 cm (is something more as the postal item) The dates are something difficult to read, but with the computer we can enlarge: Riga 14-4-1914, and КОВНО (KOVNO), the Lithuanian Kaunas on 18-4-1914.  
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Distance between the -great arrows- two similar points: 78 mm
The letters and cards were transported -upside down - along a metal trench, pushed by an milled (serrated) cylinder. Sometimes this cylinder get also some inkt and that caused the milled sign on the upper edge as you see. This one has another kind sign on the upper edge as we have seen earlier on this page.
The distance between the lines of the date-bridge is here13 mm (outside) and 10 mm (inside), so clearly another type then type 1 with also 8 lines in the flag.
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The oldes 'frames' were 8 lines. But the straight rising ridges caused a permanent nick in the ink-roll and so parts of the cancellations get no ink. Therefore Riga changed later to 4 straight lines. When the machine slipped, the cancellation is deformed and the distance is shorter than 78 mm, as you can see here. Original print size of this image: 13,978 x 8,746 cm (is something more as the postal item) |
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A machine postmark of РИГА (RIGA), but a 'dumb' or 'mute' postmark. This kind of postmarks were used in World War I with the intention to make identification of the place impossible. So identification is often a complex problem, but here the postmark is not very effective: the company and place is printed on the cover! Left above there is also a red stamp, which means: 'To mister' Original print size of this image: 15,384 x 12,539 cm (is something more as the postal item) On de backside is printed:  "When not to deliver, please return to sender" |
machinecancels in the Latvian republic 1918-1940
KRAG-machinecancels from other places in Russia
Literature:
[S.l.] : J. Barefoot, cop. 1989. - 110 p.- chapter 5: Macine postmarks. - p. 52-53
Kap. 12 (1-28): Die Maschinenstempel von Riga.[About: macine postmarks]
In: Oost Europa Filatelie 1986 ; nr. 4. - p. 18-24
Addenda & errata: OEF 1987 ; nr. 1.
In: OEF
Continued Riga in tsaristic times