Updated July 14
Rewrite: Okay, Peter Worthington never did sit here.
Ken Wyman writes:
Truth
in advertising: Peter Worthington's step-daughter, Danielle Crittenden,
tweeted me just now that PW did not actually sit at this desk. She says "He always had an office. Rim was for copy/layout editors."
Let the record stand corrected. But either way, it's a great table!
I
hope you can tell me more about the desk. Perhaps some of the readers
of the Sun Family Blog will recognize it, even though the original base
is long gone, and replaced with Ikea legs. Comments would be welcome.
More importantly: Do you know anyone who might want to give
it a good home?
The original email from Ken:
I
have the original, historic, Toronto Sun City Desk, and, much as I love
it, it's time for it to go to a new home. Would you like it? Or do you
know people who might? Don Hunt, perhaps.
Peter Worthington Sat Here: Originally built as the city news desk
for The
Toronto Sun, then used by their sports department, it was passed on to United
Press International and Canadian Press. I acquired it from CP
in 1985 (and I still have the sales receipt to prove provenance).
The journalists, famous,
infamous, and unknown, who sat here left a patina of cigarette burns, coffee
stains, and scuff-marks, and I have preserved that. Built of thick wooden
boards, like a bowling alley, it is an impressive piece of history.
It can be assembled in the
original 54 inch wide C shape, or in a sinuous curve up to 21 feet long, or in
twos, threes, or any combination of all seven sections, or each section can
stand alone. There are five wooden drawers, and two under-desk shelf units.
Yours truly,
Ken Wyman
Cell 416 362-2926
Email Ken_Wyman@yahoo.ca
His PDF reads:
For Sale: Historic News Desk or The Rim
Excellent conference room table, executive desk, dining room table, set for TV news roundtable panel, receptionist desk, or up to seven individual tables. Also perfect for a journalism school or museum.
Peter Worthington Sat Here: Originally built as the city news desk for The Toronto Sun, then by their sports department, it was passed on to United Press International and Canadian Press. I acquired it from CP in 1985 (and I still have the sales receipt to prove provenance).
The journalists, famous, infamous, and unknown, who sat here left a patina of cigarette burns, coffee stains, and scuff-marks, and I have preserved that. The City Editor sat in the middle, with the departmental editors around the rim. Built of thick wooden boards, like a bowling alley, it is an impressive piece of history.
It can be assembled in the original 54 inch wide C shape, or in a sinuous curve up to 21 feet long, or in twos, threes, or any combination of all seven sections, or each section can stand alone. There are five wooden drawers, and two under-desk shelf units.
From a Joe Warmington column:
ReplyDeleteNeat thing on Twitter Friday posted by Ken Wyman where he is selling the copy desk from the original Toronto Sun Eclipse building on King St. W.
He posted that the late, great Peter Worthington even sat there.
Well, not quite.
Peter died recently but I did make a reporter’s call to fellow Canadian News Hall of Famer and Toronto Sun legend Les Pyette.
“The news editor sat in middle, rim editors on the outside,” said Lester. “P.W. always sat in his office, small as it was.”
But it still has great value. And is a piece of newspaper history for sure.
“How much does the guy want?” asked Les.
Seeing the picture brought back some memories for the former Toronto Sun publisher and editor who last month was named to the News Hall of Fame with Toronto Star photographer Boris Spremo.
Lester said lots of great newspaper people sat at this desk:
“Bob McMillan in the slot, later Peter Brewster; on outside, most famous was John McLean, tough old editor, Gord Stimmel, Bill Hay; Ed Monteith would sometimes come out of his office, sit and direct news coverage.”
Also famous on that desk: “Ben Grant, Bob Burt, Paul Heming, Peter O’Sullivan and Lloyd Kemp sat there, too. The Great Art Holland was responsible for getting that rim; Art put together the newsroom in Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, was eventually building manager of the Toronto Sun.”
Lester ever sit there?
“Only to argue with the news editor in the slot.”