I first came across this counting system very many years ago in one of the autobiographies of James Agate (Ego, Ego2, Ego3 etc..)- a Theatre Critic of some note (early/mid 20th century)- where he says it always reminded him of Moseiwicz adding up Bridge scores in Russian!

LOTS more alphabets at

http://www.slaidburn.org.uk/counting_sheep.htm#TOP