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Up for offer is an original 1864 international Bill of Exchange, issued in Odessa by the merchant-banking firm Raffalovich & Co., and payable in Turin (Torino), Italy.
The document is a “Première de Change” (First Bill), drawn in Italian Lire, with ornate engraving, elegant handwriting, and a vertical intaglio panel reading Raffalovich & Co. Multiple endorsements appear on the face, reflecting its real commercial circulation.
This is a highly attractive example of mid-19th-century Black Sea financial commerce, issued by one of the most important merchant families operating in Odessa at the time. In the 19th century, Odessa was a major commercial gateway of the Russian Empire.
Raffalovich & Co. was one of the city’s best-known merchant-banking houses, founded by members of the Raffalovich family, a prominent Jewish dynasty of financiers, grain exporters, and international brokers.
The Raffalovichs were key players in: grain export finance, Mediterranean and Italian trade routes, European credit networks, bilateral business between Russia, France, and Italy
Their firm maintained connections with major financial centers including Odessa, Marseille, Livorno, Genoa, Paris, and Turin, facilitating long-distance trade payments such as the bill offered here.
Two early Italian revenue streams Marica di Bollo affixed on the verso
This document therefore represents not only commercial activity but also the economic and cultural impact of one of Odessa’s best-documented merchant houses.
