Typically notes from anywhere in the old USSR from this period were rather plain, looked like cheques, without vignettes and were usually lithographed. But not this one:
The breakup of the Russian Empire immediately following the Russian Revolution would have many consequences, one of which was that former provinces of Russia declared their independence once again. Armenia was a land divided, betwixt the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, and was in a rather tough neighbourhood. Eastern Armenia, with Georgia and Azerbaijan formed a short lived republic in 1918 referred to as the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. The federation however was very shortlived given the dramatic differences in the demographics of the region and subsequently Armenia declared itself a republic in May 1918. However the resurgent Soviet forces, coupled with invading Turkish republican forces brought about the demise of this republic in December 1920.
The Republic of Armenia contracted with Waterlow and Sons in London for this remarkably vibrant issue of paper money in 1919, with the ruble denomination. A young lady is shown with a traditional craft of weaving and a loom on the reverse. Notice the fascinating griffins in the borders of this note, and also three languages, Armenian, Russian and curiously French. This note is P-32 in the Krause catalogue
