Simcoe stand-in gives his final salute
John Rutherford is selling off a lifetime of collectibles — including historic uniform
This is John Rutherford’s final day as the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada.
Rutherford has worn the mark of office, a plumed hat and red coat with braided epaulettes and gold buttons, for the past 20 years. At schools across southern Ontario and local festivals Rutherford has played the part of John Graves Simcoe, the founder of Toronto and a key shaper of early Ontario.
“Simcoe put his stamp — our roads are his, names of the streets are his,” said Rutherford, standing in his driveway decked out in the distinctive uniform.
Now, priced at $125, the customdesigned uniform is a garage sale steal.
“I’ve heard that if you go to the Internet, you get more money,” Rutherford said. “At my age — I’m 86 in November — I don’t want to be bothered with it.”
At his own sale Saturday, the Scarborough man is selling the spoils of decades of scavenging yard sales.
As an exclusive garage-door crasher, the first few customers who spend more than $5 will receive a key from an 1896 Broadwood piano.
“That’s real elephant ivory, and that’s real ebony,” Rutherford said, running a finger over a smooth, pearly 110-year-old key. “Both these things are off the market. You can’t take them across borders and there’s a grey area whether you can keep them or sell them.”
“That’s why I’m giving them away. I don’t want to go to jail,” he said with a smile.
Hundreds of books sit on tables in the garage, some autographed by artists and authors. An unflattering political biography of short-lived Liberal Prime Minister John Turner is signed by the politician himself.
“Don’t believe this book, I am still worthy of your undying support,” reads Turner’s inscription.
Several books are more than 100 years old, including an aged White House cookbook written by the widow of assassinated president William McKinley, who was shot in 1901. Rutherford has never tried any of the recipes.
Perched on the piles of hardcovers are original Tonka trucks that Rutherford bought for his children at garage sales more than 40 years ago.
“These are the older ones, which are solid metal,” Rutherford said, tapping the hard yellow construction toy. “Now they make them out of plastic.”
The most expensive truck, a front end loader, is priced at $12. All of the items are priced to clear, only a few dollars each.
Each box holds something different: aluminum sculptures crafted from bent bumpers; decades-old licence plates; trombone clips for sheet music from an old high school marching band.
Another box is full of mounted photos of horse racing, hand-lettered by one of the Turofsky brothers, famed Toronto sports photographers in the 1940s. Rutherford is selling them for 50 cents each.
And 50-year-old marbles will sell for only $1 per handful.
“I have no complaints. I’m in reasonable health, I’m happy, I have everything I want,” said Rutherford, a former art teacher and municipal poet laureate. “My own idea is some of this will get to people who enjoy it as much as I do.”