Steel works of the Ryazan province - participants of the regional and All-Russian market (XIX - the beginning of the XX century)

Article is devoted to a role of steel works of the Ryazan region in formation of the All-Russian market of metal in XIX - the beginning of the 20th century. The author characterizes the commercial activity of structures of metallurgical industry of the Ryazan province in the context of development of transport system in the Central Russia, shows value of the Nizhny Novgorod fair as main center of wholesale trade in metal, considers key parameters of participation of the Ryazan foundry and metalworking plants in the course of formation of exchange trade and commerce and industry syndicates during the post-reform period in Russia. The persons of the leading resellers involved in sale of the Ryazan iron and cast iron in the local markets and interregional fairs are lit. The author comes to a conclusion that the role of the Ryazan metallurgy in system of the Russian raw market during the considered period had contradictory character. Insufficient development of domestic market of metal and the high competition from the large mining companies and trade syndicates didn't allow the metallurgical enterprises of the Ryazan province to create rational and effective system of realization of their production. At the same time steel works were an important factor of development of enterprise activity of the population of the Ryazan region, including activity of buyers of metal and producers of metal products. Characteristic of commercial activity of the Ryazan businessmen in the second half of XIX - the beginning of the 20th century was the combination of wholesale and retail trade in metal to creation of the small foundries and mechanical workshops providing needs of local population, first of all the peasantry in agricultural stock, construction materials, pig-iron ware and other convenience goods.