Manuscript inventory of and receipt for tea imported from China to The Netherlands by the VOC (Dutch East India Company) in 1790, written and signed by tea master Herman de Hoogh of Amsterdam. The tea was transported on the VOC ship Blitterswijk from China to the VOC-port of Hoorn in North Holland. It had arrived in Hoorn on 12 October 1790 and the present inventory was made on the 15 October. The last column indicates which bales were reserved.
The present shipment brought in an enormous amount of tea. Altogether the ship carried 55 bales of 10 tea varieties and for each bale the list describes the quality, weight and price. The prices reflect the type and quality, the most expensive tea was a quarter chest of "zeer goed" (very good) "Pecco". The bales marked as reserved contain only the best teas (very good "Thee Boey", very good "Hysant" etc.). The present shipment was formed a significant amount of all tea that was imported from China to The Netherlands and Europe in 1790. For the author and the auction of tea in Holland see: Bierens de Haan, Memorie-boek van pakhuismeesteren van de thee te Amsterdam, 1818-1918 en de Nederlandsche theehandel in den loop der tijden (1919).