Soviet RKKA - Gunsmith

[Chuck In Oregon]

Now and then someone asks me to share a few more of my oddball documents. Here's one that you won't often see. It is a 1922 RSFSR/RKKA document (note the hammer and plow) attesting to an individual's employment as a gunsmith. I'm told that this was necessary to have in case of arrest for possession of a gun, an extremely serious crime. I suppose it was also useful to document your work book or to prove up your bona fides if you were looking for a job.

I'm glad to have found a few people who enjoy the old documents as well as the hardware. I do get them wrong often enough that I'm embarassed at my mistakes. I don't know if I will ever be able to read Cyrillic cursive. But this forum is for learning and sharing, so here you are.

Chuck

[David Gregory]

Chuck,

Despite the fact that the revolution and its proponents spurned anything connected with the bourgeoisie, Art Nouveau decoration was obviously still in use in the early 1920s together with the addition of the obligatory star. I wonder how long it took for the truly revolutionary causes to dispel all traces of the old order and replace them with the more austere trappings of the new.

I also wonder what would have happened to anyone found with a weapon for which he did not have the required alibi, such as this item.

Old German handwriting takes a while before it can be read fluently, but that cursive script is a real challenge!

Thanks for showing another interesting document.

David

[Chuck In Oregon]

Chuck,

Despite the fact that the revolution and its proponents spurned anything connected with the bourgeoisie, Art Nouveau decoration was obviously still in use in the early 1920s together with the addition of the obligatory star. I wonder how long it took for the truly revolutionary causes to dispel all traces of the old order and replace them with the more austere trappings of the new.

I also wonder what would have happened to anyone found with a weapon for which he did not have the required alibi, such as this item.

Old German handwriting takes a while before it can be read fluently, but that cursive script is a real challenge!

Thanks for showing another interesting document.

David

* * * * *

Hi David

Thank you for the insightful comment about the Art Nouveau letterhead. The best I could do was "What were they thinking?"

Sharing these documents is my pleasure. I'll post some more soon.

Chuck