Trade in Cotton Fabrics in Moscow in the First Half of the 19th Century

During the first half of the 19th century, Moscow's Kitai-gorod district emerged as a pivotal hub for cotton fabric trade in Russia, rivaling the significance of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair. This study reveals that Moscow's textile market, driven by wholesale contracts and retail sales, accounted for 35–40% of the national turnover, with the Kitai-gorod serving as a central distribution point near the Kremlin and Red Square. The research, based on archival documents including factory registers and trade journals, analyzes trade statistics, fabric classifications, and merchant-factory correlations. It highlights the dominance of elite merchants from the highest guilds in shaping Moscow's textile industry, particularly from provinces like Moscow and Vladimir. These findings offer unprecedented insights into 19th-century consumption patterns and the economic landscape of early imperial Russia.

Ulianova, G. (2024). Trade in Cotton Fabrics in Moscow in the First Half of the 19th Century. Quaestio Rossica, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.15826/qr.2024.4.938