OUR MISSION
Honor the rich history of tea.
Oliver Pluff is an all-American company preserving the tradition of time-honored teas and early American coffee blends. The tradition of tea and coffee spans American history in its entirety. Our teas and coffees honor this history through flavors, ingredients, and more.
OUR PROMISE
Sip a Cup of History
A cup of Oliver Pluff tea or coffee is a toast to superior quality of ingredients, and a tribute to the American story. We would love to share a cup of history with you!
Owner and Tea Blender
Darren Hartford
Darren was born and raised in Smithfield, Maine. Darren spent over 28 years in the Air Force where he had the opportunity to travel the world and experience many different tea and coffee cultures. He and his family settled in Charleston and he is enjoying sharing the story of Early American Beverages!
Our Team
Assistant Warehouse Manager
Victoria Velez
Graphic Designer
Brandon Frye
The Warehouse and Production Team
No. 4 - Proposal for Sending Tea to Philadelphia
Index: Tea Leaves - A Collection of East India Co. Letters, 1773
A PROPOSAL FOR SENDING TEA TO PHILADELPHIA.
Received from the Hon'ble Mr. Walpole.[27]
As Philadelphia is the capital of one of the most populous and commercial Provinces in North America, and is situated in the center of the middle British Colonies, it is proposed:
That the East India Company should, by the middle of June at farthest, send to Philadelphia at least five hundred chests of black teas, one hundred half chests of green teas,[204] and seventy five half chests of Congou and Souchon teas.
That they should consign these teas to a house of character and fortune in Philadelphia, and direct the proceeds thereof to be remitted hither in bills of exchange or specie.
That previous, however, to the teas being shipped, factors should be appointed in Philadelphia, and the directors of the East India Company should immediately advise them of their intended consignation, and direct them to engage proper warehouses for the reception thereof.
That the factors should be authorized to sell the teas at public auction, (giving notice of the times of the sale in all the North American newspapers, at least one month before hand,) and in such small lots as will be convenient for the country storekeepers to supply themselves with such sales.
That the factors should grant the purchasers the same allowance of tare, tret, discount, &c., as are customary at the company's sales in this city.
That in case the factor should be of opinion, the sales of the tea would be encreased both in quantity and price, by having occasional auctions in Boston and New York, in the manner proposed at Philadelphia; that they should be at liberty to send from time to time to Boston & New York[205] as many chests as they may think necessary for the consumption & commerce of those places, but that the factors, or one of them, should always attend the sales in Boston and New York.
That the East India Company should be at the charge & expence of the warehouse rent in America, the cartage, and the freight of the teas from Philadelphia to Boston & New York, and that the factors should be allowed for receiving and selling the teas, collecting the payment thereof and remitting the same, a commission of 2½ pr cent. on the amount of the sales.
N.B.—It is submitted whether it would not be proper for the directors of the East India Company to send two persons to Philadelphia, who have been accustomed to pack and repack teas at the India House, to the end that they may be employed for that purpose, and in dividing whole chests of black teas into half chests, for the greater accommodation of the country shopkeepers.