Warwickshire Man’s Extensive Ceramic Coffee Cup Collection

A man residing in Warwickshire holds the belief that his coffee cup collection is among the largest globally, and he expresses a strong desire for a book to be authored about it. John Putt, a resident of Rugby, has accumulated 270 ceramic coffee cups over a span of 60 years. This collection originated from his fascination with the creations of Clarice Cliff. His interest was sparked after he attended a lecture discussing the celebrated ceramics artist from Stoke-on-Trent, recognized for her lively and colourful designs. “I was so impressed with the examples that the guy gave in the lecture, they were just wonderful… I thought: ‘I’d love to collect her stuff,'” he said. Mr. Putt intends to bequeath his collection to his daughter, but he wishes for it to be documented in a book beforehand. “I’m not looking for money… I’d love a book,” he remarked with a laugh. “It would make a lovely coffee table book, which is what we want.” “I don’t know if anyone else has collected coffee cups, I’ve not heard of any collections of any size anyway,” he informed the BBC. “You only get the odd one in the museums.” Coffee cups are typically smaller than mugs and are usually accompanied by a saucer. “Everyone these days, they want a mug of coffee or a big cup,” he observed. “They started to lower the production of them [cups] and eventually faded out. “You don’t buy coffee cups now.” The designs featured in his collection encompass floral patterns, animal motifs, and notably, a cup commemorating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. For updates from BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, follow on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.