(1847-2000?)
Wagner’s was loose tea, and sold in a distinctive square tin. Most were 3/4 oz., with a tin about 2 in. high.** The tins were colorful, with each tea having a different color, with its name emblazoned on the front.
The flavors let you experience a world of tea – and fairly cheaply. The variety was appealing and soon you would get tea infusers to try out all the flavors.
The company was founded in 1847. The teas were usually sold in gift stores and specialty food stores. I knew of one not far from us where I’d go every few weeks to pick out old favorites and try things that sounded interesting.
Then, at some point, Wagner teas vanished. The company, around for almost a century and a half, sold out to a company named “Rose Spice” in 1996. The company seems to have vanished, and with it, Wagner: the trademark lapsed in 2000.
At this point, all that is left are the tins, which are collectors items. I can see why: it must be fun to try to collect all the colors. But the tea inside probably introduced many Americans to the idea that there was a world of tea to explore.
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*Which is not named for a growing region or drying method or variety: it’s part of a grading system for black tea with leaves of a certain size and the tea can come from anywhere.
**Red Rose, Tetley, and other teas were available, but if you ordered tea in a restaurant, Lipton was what you got.
**There were also full-size tins of 4.5 oz.
38 comments:
You left out my favorite, the brown Wagner's tin that held Lapsang Souchong, a black tea dried over a fire and thus had a distinctive smoky flavor.
Omg!!! I have recently rediscovered that very tea named Russian Caravan at a new tea store in town!back in the 60's mom brewed me some smoky tea that I had never known the name;
But did remember he small square tins. When I accidentally stumbled upon this tea I was immediately taken back to my childhood and the tea I have Ben searching for nearly 50 years of my life!
I just found in my pantry a full tin, unopened of the Russian Caravan Tea. Got it in a gift basket from Hickory Farms. I wanted to open it, now I'm not so sure. I would love to taste it.
I too have been trying to find The China Tea that was sold in the local China Restaurant in Merced CA.
I remember these tins, and I remember their flavored rices as well. Sad that they are gone. They were at Wolfermans.com in 2005, when I corresponded with them about their flavored rice, but I think they went out of business not long after that. Their phone number, 800-832-9017 appears to be invalid.
Andrzej said...
When I was living at Philadelphia often visited store Strawbridge and Clothier and always in they delicatessen store I buy Wagner's tea with different taste they were very high quality, special, tasty, still have tins from my favorite one "Yunnan"black tea and "Ulung" green tea. Sad if they gone, miss cup of good tea from Wagner's company....
Rare mandarin was my afternoon tea and of course english breakfast tea was my morning tea. I miss them both greatly!!
I remember this tea being sold at a tea store on the top floor of Hudson's in Eastland Mall Harper Woods Michigan.That was back in the early 1980s. the tea I love so much was cinnamon and Nutmeg or nutmeg and cinnamon. Wagner's was the finest tea I had ever tasted. I have been wondering for years what happened to them. It is very sad to find out that they ended up this way. I wish I had those tins that got left in my old house when I moved away.
Assam & lapsang sooshong were my favorites. The intensity of flavor of each of their teas has not been matched at the grocer since. How I regret their passing.
Frederick & Nelson's in Seattle carried this unforgettable brand; my favorite was Fruit and Spice. The flavor was definitely worth the price. Have often looked for it in the last 10 years, but could never find a clue as to why it was not longer available. Thank you-now I know to stop looking!
Wagner's was my favorite for tea, I have so many tea tins from them. I loved their Russian Caravan the most, I am trying to locate a good alternative source that is comparable, sampling my way through them. I would love to have insider information as to where they sourced their blends from, or bases if they blended their own. Too bad the other company didn't continue with them.
I miss buying Wagner's tea from Hickory Farms-there used to be a year round store in a local mall. Now I get some loose tea from Upton Tea, they have Lapsang Souchong, Russian Caravan, and an assortment of Assam teas.
I remember fruit & spice! I didn't buy it because it was too expensive. Now I never can.
I kept those tin until I moved seven years ago. My favorites and never found again are Rare Mandarin and Vintage Darjeeling.
I just found an unopened tin of Wagner's Spice Tea in my cabinet!! I am thrilled. I hope to find someone who can analyze it so we can brew our own. If I learn anything I will share it.
I have a green Formosa Oolong can from the '70s. I liked Wagner's smoky Lapsang Souchong as well. The end.
I'm enjoying a cup of rare mandarin right now! And its great!
I have many Wagner's tins. But bought teas at Teavana more recently. Starbucks bought Teavana and closed it because it wasn't making enough money. I am boycotting Starbucks. But Hersheys bought Mauna Loa in Hawaii and Greenfields coffee in Hawaii. everything is becoming uniform. The New Yorker mentioned three famous tea companies. I have been buying tea from Mariage Freres in Paris through the web. They have hundreds of teas. I have six different ones at home right now. And can buy foreign, which all tea is, to spite our president. When I was growing up in New York there was a typical Russian tea called Sve Touche Ne (sp?) During WWII my mother made very weak tea and I gres up thinking that all teashoudl be that weak.
I have a small tin of China tea
Sad. I used to buy Wagners back in the 70s to early 80s. But i moved on to buying in bulk. It's not hard to get my favorites, Lapsang and Darjeeling that way. And Russian Caravan, which is a mix of Lapsang,and a couple of others, so less smokey. But recently i've been missing Wagners Golden Blend. I went online to try to find out where i could get it, only to find this journal and the news that Wagners is gone :(
Guess i have to start sampling blends to see if there's one that's similar.
I just discovered Wagner's tea - in a teabag! It was left at an airbnb. The tea bag is beige with brown printing. No description of the flavor, but I love it!!! It's strong but fruity with a fruity fragrance. Really want to buy some for myself or at least figure out what type of tea it is. Any help would be much appreciated!!! Thank you!
Anonymous,
Could that teabag been from this company:https://www.adagio.com/signature_blend/blend.html?blend=49540
The tea is based on composers. I grew up near Ivyland, PA. We were so lucky to have the Wagner Outlet there. Perhaps that is why I love tea and not coffee.
The Fruit & Spice was my favorite. I have never found a comparable spice tea. I still have my empty 5.5 oz tin.
I found in my cabinet a variety of Wagner's flavored teas. On little card board boxes. I do not know how long they being there,. Are they still any good
Rare Mandarin was the first loose tea that I drank regularly, and avidly; I also liked their Formosa Oolong, Cha Ching and mint teas. I was so sad when the company vanished, and rather wished I'd stocked up on Rare Mandarin tins while I had the chance.
I stumbled upon Wagner & Son's tea BAGS... no flavor is indicated. Has anyone seen it packaged this way and could venture a guess to the flavor?
A friend of mine has the early spring pan fried green tea unopened.what would be the value of it
I was a student at SUNY Stony Brook, Long Island (NY) back in the last 60's and I would buy Wagner teas at the St. James General Store, which also had the most fabulous chocolate chip cookies. My favorites were the Oolong and Keemun, but I tried nearly all of them multiple times (I wish now I had saved the tins!). Until then tea to me meant Tetley's.
I had been wondering what had happened to these teas until I came across this blog and now my worst fears have been confirmed. What a pity.
I was hoping to post my composite image of all(?) the varieties of Wagner teas, almost all of the photos downloaded from "World of Tea Caddy" (TeaCaddy.cz), by Mr. Petr Vnoucek in the Czech Republic -- you're welcome to it, I plan to post it on FaceBook shortly. I also got most of my tins from Hickory Farms in the shopping malls, & I still have a precious couple of Fruit & Spice tea bags. There's no reason to fear old tea, it just won't have its full flavour when it's no longer "fresh" -- if you've got some untried Wagner's, brew some up proper (full boiling water & longer than you would "fresh" tea) & enjoy it (unless you plan to sell it unopened to a collector, maybe me?). And, Happy National Tea Month & Happy National Hot Tea Day!
I recently started going through some boxes that I had stored when my mom passed away and I discovered an unopened 5oz tin of Wagner's Nutmeg & Cinnamon Tea. I wonder what it's value would be?
Please sell me a couple of them or maybe 3. You set the price.
I have a 3/8 oz tin. Wagner's Cinnamon and Spice tea. 8 teabags. All 8 original teabags still inside.
I also have an unopened tin of Wagners Cinnamon & spice. It was from my grandparents.
I’m from NY. And I grew up drinking Sweet Touch Ne tea. I forgot all about that tea. Do they still make it?
Yes.
https://www.amazon.com/Swee-Touch-Nee-Tea-Bags/dp/B00PO9HR94
This thread is bringing back memories. They were located in Ivyland, PA and working there was my first summer job. Beside teas, Wagners also sold spices.
Reading all these posts brings back fond memories of Wagner Tea and it's owner in the 70's and 80's, Ralph Starr (that's not a typo). I was in charge of purchasing at Hickory Farms. We bought Wagner teas by the truckload. Ralph was a great guy to work with. One one occasion while visiting their factory a colleague and I stayed at Ralph's home, a large stone home built in 1904 backing up to the Green Way in Philadelphia. The exterior walls were 3 ft thick. It was a mansion for sure. Ralph was at least the 3rd generation of Wagner ownership. His family imported liquors before getting into the tea business. Ralph had several teal bricks from the orient that we hundreds of years old. They were fascinating. (Sorry to be so long winded but thought you'd enjoy knowing one antidote about Ralph.) When we'd go out to eat he would always order tea instead of coffee. If the restaurant wanted to charge for the second cup of tea, but coffee refills were free, he would get up and walk out of the restaurant, saying tea was no more expensive than coffee. I experienced this several times. I miss Wagner Tea, and I miss my friend Ralph Starr.
Great to hear you were an employee at Wagner Tea. Ralph was quite a man wasn't he. Very dedicated to the family business and knowledgeable about teas from around the world.
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