Leslie Buck: The Anthora Cup - New York

'The cup has made appearances in New York City TV shows and movies, from "Law and Order", to Al Pacino's 1989 film "Sea of Love." One of Buck's daughters, Beverly Eisenoff, remembers sitting in the movie theater when she saw the cup stretched across the screen, "That's my dad's cup!" she yelled.'

Leslie Buck born September 20 was an American business executive and Holocaust survivor. He had designed the Anthora coffee cup. The cup became an iconic symbol of New York City since its introduction in the 1960s'



Leslie Buck was born Laszlo Büch into a Jewish family in Khust, Czechoslovakia.

The city of Khust is now located in the modern-day Ukraine. 

Buck's parents died during the Holocaust during World War II. Buck was imprisoned by the Nazis during the occupation, surviving his captivity at Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.

Living in the United States Buck adopted his anglicized name, Leslie Buck. 

Together with his brother, Eugene, they ran an import-export business. The brothers launched a paper cup maker based in Mount Vernon, New York called Premier Cup in the late 1950s.

Premier Cup - also the name given of the football cup.

Leslie Buck left the family business and took up a position with a start-up paper cup manufacturer called the Sherri Cup Company in the mid-1960s. He started out as sales manager, before becoming the company's marketing director.

Leslie Buck designed the Anthora paper coffee cup with the blue and white colors of the Greek flag. The name of the Anthora coffee cup came about from his mispronunciation of the Greek word, amphora. 


The Anthora cup depicts the amphora, a Greek vase on two sides of the cup. Three gold-colored hot coffee cups with the motto, "We Are Happy To Serve You", is written across the cup.

Buck's Anthora cup became a symbol of the city. For decades, hundreds of millions of the cups have been sold annually. In 1994, the Sherri Cup company sold 500 million Anthora cups.

'Leslie Buck died at 86 of Parkinson's disease at his home in Glen Cove, New York, on April 26, 2010. 

Bucks daughter describes her father as a self-made man, "He came here with nothing, no parents, no job, no savings. He had nothing."

"Because of what he suffered in the concentration camps he was somebody who really believed in respecting humanity, really was about loving your neighbor and respecting your neighbor," his daughter said.

It was this respect for the people who he got to meet and know, that led him to researching Greek history and design. He wanted to honor the heritage of the Greek diner owners who bought his products and gave him his livelihood.



When Buck retired in 1992, the company printed 10,000 cups for him and his family with a slight change. The cups said, "It was our pleasure to serve you," as a farewell to the man who left his mark on the city that never sleeps.

Talking with CNN about the outpouring of attention and affection for her father following his death, Eisenoff described him as being incredibly humble, and impossible to buy presents for. "New York became his home when he left his home," she says. "This is the best present to give my father. What he did his whole life matters to the city that became his home."

This is another profound story to show people from different cultures and lands who came together. From this grew deep respect and a bond between peoples, that I hope will never be lost.

The year Leslie Buck was born, 1922, a great fire destroyed the City of Smyrna (along with genealogy records).  In different ways, people are being inspired to bring the truth to people and what is most important of all - service. This cup is a testimony and worthy of keeping too.

The evening before the inauguration of Pope Francis, I spoke with a Ukranian Orthodox Priest on the telephone. He told me of the ceremony and said it will be the first time in 1000 years the Patriarch of Constantinople is to attend. The unity of the East and West has to be in peace.

In the bible it is written the following message for everyone:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

Leslie Buck lived a life knowing the horrors of history. He came to New York where the Statue of Liberty greets people in the harbour as a reminder that we are all Born Free.

Leslie Buck left a legacy with his personal philosophy and work ethic inspired by ancient Greece. Today people are remembering this fine gentlemen in different ways and sharing his message.



Great civilisations are not created by keeping people down. 

Today the British Museum houses the stolen Acropolis Marbles from Athens Greece the seat of God's Government. The British establishment has law courts with oath taking officials who refuse to work for Justice. If anything destroying lives and oppressing people cannot be ignored.

New York known as the Big Apple and the city that never sleeps.

New York, home to the Empire State Building...New York, where years ago a family built a home on the highest point for Christ returning and since it got sold. Did they give up?

New York where people remember the destruction of the Twin Towers and death of so many people, yet people have also known that life can still go on. 

Americans understand the words Freedom and Democracy. 

From somewhere this message needs to be continually shared in context to everyone.

Complete strangers can impact our lives in such a profound way. May Leslie Buck not be forgotten by the people for in his own way he has served a far greater purpose for mankind.

Peace, love and best wishes
Pauline Maria

No Copyright infringement intended
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Buck
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/30/coffee.cup.designer.dies/index.html