The Collectors
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Episode 43, Friday 5 December 2008
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Not only does the Mayor of Ipswich, Paul Pisasale have the biggest collection of coffee cup sets in the nation, he has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records for having the biggest collection of its type in the world. He has outpaced previous record holder Michael Millerick in the USA who has a mere 220 cup sets. Just looking at the collection, which is housed in display cabinets in his Ipswich City Council office gets the senses going - you can almost smell the coffee brewing.
Paul has always loved short black coffee cups. Mrs Pisasale said, "Since he was a little boy he has loved the cups." She gave him his first cup. Paul reckons he can tell a lot about a person by the cup they choose. The 650 cup-sets, collected over 15 years comprises 1500 individual cups or demitasse (French for small cup used to serve Turkish coffee) from around the world.
Paul describes his cup-set collecting as one of the most fulfilling hobbies in his life; he collected most of them himself, but he has had residents of Ipswich donating to the collection, so in some ways it’s a community collection. Paul enjoys using his collection and sharing it with others.
Paul asks if Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is watching can he please have a coffee cup from the lodge, signed of course!
