Seeking info on 1865 coffee advertisement

[Jay Milo]

I have a one sheet advertisement flyer for The East India Coffee Co. 154 Reade Street, NY advertising "Kent's East India Coffee". From the names of prominent names I have been able to conclusively date it between 1863-65. I haven't seen anything this early when I have occasionally checked coffee advertising auctions. I haven't been able to find any additional info. on the company. Two questions - is a coffee advertisement this early unusual and where can I possibly find additional info on the company? Any help much appreciated!

[Frank DeFreitas]

Hi Jay,
I'm sure a few others will chime in with more background on coffee than I have. But in the meantime . . .

I had this article on the history of advertising in America bookmarked, so I thought I'd post it here (of course, you might already be aware of it!). It does give a photo of a very early coffee "handbill" from 1657 (and the story behind it), which you might find interesting. In this particular case the handbill is from England -- but a coffee "ad" nonetheless. I also found it interesting that Benjamin Franklin first introduced illustrations into advertising via the wood cut. Here is the web page:

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/asr/v006/6.3unit02.html

In the book "Market Street: The Most Historic Highway in America" by Joseph Jackson (1918), it gives information on the very early companies that had their storefronts on the aforementioned street in Philadelphia. I did find several tea and coffee merchants (in 1901), such as L.H. Park, Co. at 282 Bank St., and they all were located in the same area as the greatest concentration of printers in the country. Perhaps the printers were used for coffee company promotion / advertising.

I don't have any information at hand about the company you mention, but I do have a link that I can share that deals with coffee and tea trade in colonial times -- perhaps you might find a tidbit or two of interesting info. in it:

http://www.history1700s.com/articles/article1093.shtml

-- Frank

[Jay Milo]

Frank, thanks very much for bringing this helpful information to me. It is very much appreciated. The link to the history of advertising provided fascinating and insightful reading. My 1865 ad uses apparently a well known technique of high status testimonials to the benefits of coffee. As I find time I will post some of these classic statements. jay

Frank DeFreitas said:

Hi Jay,
I'm sure a few others will chime in with more background on coffee than I have. But in the meantime . . .

I had this article on the history of advertising in America bookmarked, so I thought I'd post it here (of course, you might already be aware of it!). It does give a photo of a very early coffee "handbill" from 1657 (and the story behind it), which you might find interesting. In this particular case the handbill is from England -- but a coffee "ad" nonetheless. I also found it interesting that Benjamin Franklin first introduced illustrations into advertising via the wood cut. Here is the web page:

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/asr/v006/6.3unit02.html

In the book "Market Street: The Most Historic Highway in America" by Joseph Jackson (1918), it gives information on the very early companies that had their storefronts on the aforementioned street in Philadelphia. I did find several tea and coffee merchants (in 1901), such as L.H. Park, Co. at 282 Bank St., and they all were located in the same area as the greatest concentration of printers in the country. Perhaps the printers were used for coffee company promotion / advertising.

I don't have any information at hand about the company you mention, but I do have a link that I can share that deals with coffee and tea trade in colonial times -- perhaps you might find a tidbit or two of interesting info. in it:

http://www.history1700s.com/articles/article1093.shtml

-- Frank

[Mike Ferguson]

Jay...sorry for the long delay. I started looking into this then set it aside and have not managed to get to replying until now.

The most comprehensive source for coffee industry information pre 1935, when the last edition was published, is the book All About Coffee by William Ukers. I have a late reprint from the current holders of the copyright, The Specialty Coffee Association of America, a former employer of mine.

The 1922 edition is avaiable online with Google Books, with chapters deleted, of course.

The index of the 1922 shows no mention of an East India anything, but there are mentions of a "East India Co" coffee pot on pages 718 and 719 of the 1935 edition. But this refers to a coffee pot dated 1681 as a gift given to the Easy India Tea Company by someone named Richard Sterne, Eq, according to an engraving.

Ukers is quite a comprehensive source but focused almost exclusively on the U.S. coffee industry after relaying some of the more ancient history around coffee. Still, if you are interested in early coffee advertising, see the TOC for Ukers on google books. I'm afriad the chapter on advertising is one of the chapters thet did not include, but chapter XXIX is still informative.

[Mike Ferguson]

I added additional comments that did not take for some reason. Also, above i say that Ukers focuses "almost exclusively on the U.S." but that is an over-statement. I would say the majority of pages are devoted to U.S.

Ukers devotes 29 pages to the history of coffee advertising. He cites the first ad appearing in London in 1582, advertising coffee as a medicinal. He point to several ads throughout Europe, mostly London, from 1587-1691. He cites the first U.S. coffee ad as 1707 in New York. The earliest U.S. that he includes as an illustration is 1790, a newspaper ad for coffee that is all copy, no illustration )New York Daily Advertiser, February 9, 1790). He also has an illustration of an 1854 coffee ad: Franklin Tea & Coffee Warehouse in St. Louis..

[Jay Milo]

Mike, thanks for taking the time to provide this interesting and helpful info. Much appreciated. I will begin checking it out further. Thanks again, Jay

Mike Ferguson said:

I added additional comments that did not take for some reason. Also, above i say that Ukers focuses "almost exclusively on the U.S." but that is an over-statement. I would say the majority of pages are devoted to U.S.

Ukers devotes 29 pages to the history of coffee advertising. He cites the first ad appearing in London in 1582, advertising coffee as a medicinal. He point to several ads throughout Europe, mostly London, from 1587-1691. He cites the first U.S. coffee ad as 1707 in New York. The earliest U.S. that he includes as an illustration is 1790, a newspaper ad for coffee that is all copy, no illustration )New York Daily Advertiser, February 9, 1790). He also has an illustration of an 1854 coffee ad: Franklin Tea & Coffee Warehouse in St. Louis..