03/28/2025 Books & Autographs
In anticipation of the upcoming auction of Property from the Collection of President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford, we spoke with their son, Jack Ford, about growing up around the White House, unexpected visits from rock stars, and the quiet strength of a man who led with decency and purpose.
A View from the Top
Jack moved into the White House during his final year of college to help with his father’s campaign. He stayed on the third floor, in a guest room once used as the Kennedys’ nursery—complete with a double spiral staircase leading to the roof.
“My friends and I would sit up there at night, have a beer, and take in the view of Washington. It felt like a special corner of the world.”
He recalls being struck by the warmth of the long-serving White House staff.
“They’d been there for decades—some going back to FDR—and they treated us like family. It was really their house.”
One lesson in humility came early.
“I was making a sandwich in the family kitchen, and the chef stopped me and said, ‘If you make it, I don’t have a job.’ That was the last sandwich I made there.”
George Harrison at the White House
After meeting George Harrison backstage at a concert in Utah, Jack invited him to lunch at the White House.
“We ate in the solarium—just the two of us. Afterward, I called down and asked if my dad was free. He was.”
The unplanned meeting between Harrison and President Ford turned into something memorable.
“They connected immediately. I stepped back, and it was just the two of them—completely engaged. It worked better than anything you could have orchestrated.”
A photograph from that day shows not only George Harrison but also his father, Harold, and sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar, who was touring with Harrison at the time.
Warhol, Baseball & Borrowed Boots
Jack also recalls an offbeat interview with Andy Warhol on the Truman Balcony—complete with a Polaroid camera and Bianca Jagger in tow.
President Ford’s love of baseball led to special moments, including an All-Star Game visit where Joe Morgan introduced him around the locker room like an old teammate.
And at the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award ceremony (November 18, 1991)—where First Lady Betty Ford was a recipient—Jack brought baseballs for Ted Williams to sign.
“When President George H.W. Bush saw it, he said, ‘Want me to sign too?’ So now I’ve got a ball with Ted on the sweet spot and the President on the other side.”
.png)
But his most memorable moment came in 1974, when he was pulled out of the Yellowstone backcountry—on horseback, mid-fishing trip—after Nixon’s resignation.
“I flew back in my fishing clothes, no wallet, no luggage. Borrowed clothes from my high school friends for the ceremony the next day. If you look at the Time magazine photo from the swearing-in, I’m wearing cowboy boots. That’s all I had.”
Objects with Meaning
Among the highlights of the auction is a sapphire ring that belonged to First Lady Betty Ford.
“It wasn’t extravagant, but she loved it. She had an eye for beauty, and she brought back jewelry, scarves, and textiles from every trip—India, Pakistan, the Middle East. It wasn’t about value; it was about what spoke to her.”
Also featured is President Ford’s Omega wristwatch.
“Presidents get gifts all the time. But the things they actually wear and keep—that’s where the meaning is. He held onto that watch.”
A Legacy of Service—and a Shared Generation
President Ford’s defining trait, Jack says, was honor.
“He always tried to do what was right, not what was easy.”
That quality was shared among the presidents of the WWII generation—men who had endured the Depression and wartime service before stepping into national leadership.
“They didn’t all agree politically, but there was a real bond—mutual respect that came from shared experience.”
That respect came full circle when Senator Ted Kennedy—once a fierce critic of the Nixon pardon—presented Gerald Ford with the Profile in Courage Award.
“That meant the world to him. It said everything about the kind of leadership he believed in.”
Auction Friday, April 11 at 10am | Exhibition April 5-7
Property from the Collection of President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford will be offered as a featured section of the April 11 sale. (View Lots) (Sale Details)
.jpg)
.png)