It's almost official. Graham Brooks' tea-caddy collection will be recognised by Guinness World Records as soon as all the officials receive signed documents confirming the size of the collection, a crowd assembled for the opening of the first public showing of the caddies was told last night.
Mr Brooks' collection is on public display at the Blenheim Club to raise money for Alzheimer New Zealand.
he has collected tea caddies since his mother-in-law gave him a Jackson's of Piccadilly tea canister for his birthday during his first year of marriage.
Friends and family followed her lead, and the collection had grown to the point he had no idea how many he had.
While he and his family had stored tea in some of the caddies, others were stacked in the "chook house", he said.
"I really don't know what we are going to do with them after this. Does anyone have any ideas?" he said.
Mr Brooks submitted his claim to Guinness World Records six weeks ago. The exact number of tea caddies has been counted as the canisters were displayed, but it remains a secret to allow a "guess the number" competition to run through the exhibition.
Blenheim-raised antique dealer Peter Wedde, of TV One's Auction House programme, was the guest speaker, regaling the crowd with his memories of growing up in Blenheim, ending on the poignant reflection of how important memories were and how terrible it would be to lose them through Alzheimer's disease.
The collection can be viewed from today to July 18. Entry costs $2, or $7 with tea and a lamington.