This was the first Soviet government agency in charge of all matters of the organisation and development of philately.

[1] Soon after the Russian Civil War, Soviet governmental institutions were set up to conduct the activities and practices in the field of philately.

In 1921, the People's Commissariat for Posts and Telegraphs of the RSFSR (Narkompochtel) founded a special organ, the Russian Bureau of Philately (RBF).

[2] In 1921, a Narkompochtel representative Feodor Chuchin worked within the RBF and proposed change in the philatelic policy.

According to this proposal, the monopoly on foreign trade should have been extended and included the traffic in postage stamps, the revenue being used to aid street children.