diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java
index 99c1bea7b8c21d524e32a4885464b19860a424fd..90be85907b17d17340d6e87cff5670ffb210fc08 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/CollectionUtils.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 
-
 /**
  * Some convenience methods/utilities around {@link Collection}.
  * 
@@ -89,7 +88,22 @@ public final class CollectionUtils
     public final static <T> String abbreviate(final Collection<T> collection, final int maxLength,
             final CollectionStyle style)
     {
-        return abbreviate(collection, maxLength, true, ToStringDefaultConverter.getInstance(), style);
+        return abbreviate(collection, maxLength, ToStringDefaultConverter.getInstance(), style);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Abbreviates a given <code>Collection</code>.
+     * <p>
+     * By default it shows the number of items left.
+     * </p>
+     * 
+     * @param maxLength the maximum number of items that should be shown. If <code>-1</code> then all items will be
+     *            displayed.
+     */
+    public final static <T> String abbreviate(final Collection<T> collection, final int maxLength,
+            final IToStringConverter<? super T> converter, final CollectionStyle style)
+    {
+        return abbreviate(collection, maxLength, true, converter, style);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
index f4d8c64dcaa0ea04af75654ca2034c3a4d35b9e1..4d0eed326aeaf0de75538317d0cc5f62d44cd76b 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/collections/ToStringDefaultConverter.java
@@ -31,17 +31,21 @@ public final class ToStringDefaultConverter implements IToStringConverter<Object
         // This is a singleton.
     }
 
-    public String toString(Object value)
-    {
-        return value.toString();
-    }
-
     /**
      * @return The instance of the {@link ToStringDefaultConverter}.
      */
-    public static ToStringDefaultConverter getInstance()
+    public final static ToStringDefaultConverter getInstance()
     {
         return instance;
     }
 
+    //
+    // IToStringConverter
+    //
+
+    public final String toString(final Object value)
+    {
+        return value.toString();
+    }
+
 }