Imperial Russia Siberian Allied Expeditionary Calling Cards

[hunyadi]

Here are two calling cards that were aquired by a member of the SAEF. One has both the Russian and an English translation (but what exactly is a Forvainding Agent??) the second I have no idea who or what it is for. Anyone able to help???

[hunyadi]

second one -

[Mike Dwyer]

I wonder if that first one is a mistranslation and it should actually say "Forwarding Agent"?

[Sergey W]

"Таможенный экспедиторъ" = "Сustoms agent"

[hunyadi]

"Таможенный экспедиторъ" = "Сustoms agent"

Ah - thank you! Any idea on the second one?

[Sergey W]

Ah - thank you! Any idea on the second one?

The second one translation:

"Ivan Mikhaylovich (son of Mikhail)

Berezhetskiy

mechanical engineer

The chief of The Barnaul main workshops"

[Mark C]

I don't think it's Customs Agent, in the sense that he was a civil servant in government employ. I think he was a private individual offering services to help businesses and people get things through customs, following necessary paperwork, storing in warehouses, etc.

[cimbineus]

I don't think it's Customs Agent, in the sense that he was a civil servant in government employ. I think he was a private individual offering services to help businesses and people get things through customs, following necessary paperwork, storing in warehouses, etc.

I fully agree with this interpretation. The "Customs Forwarding Agent" helps the foreign companies, representatives, embassies and individuals in dealing with local customs authorities and bureaucracy.