Silver Shines at Natural History Museum

It may be just a figment of the imagination that Los Angeles slows down in the summertime. We can give you a hundred examples to show it doesn’t. Starting with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s governors and trustees private preview to launch “Silver in the Golden State,” which will be open to the public Aug. 15-Nov. 2.

First the museum did gold; now it’s featuring silver mining and displaying California silver decorative arts, including rare photographs and artifacts from the silver bonanzas--the Comstock Lode and Cerro Gordo--that gave silversmiths their raw material and their wealthy clientele.

Wells Fargo Foundation (the bank has been hinting of moving its headquarters from San Francisco to Southern California in recent months) is sponsoring the traveling exhibition organized by the Oakland Museum.

RED-LETTER DATES: Angels Attic features George Winter in bridge-upsmanship at a benefit luncheon Aug. 19 at the Upper Bel-Air Bay Club. . . . Merelyn O’Donnell, director of the Coronet Debutante Ball for the National Charity League, will be at the forefront when the Coronet Debutante Ball Board honors debs at an Aug. 8 luncheon at the Bel-Air Country Club. . . . California Historical Society and Bobbie Galpin, Maggie Murray and Carole Terry have “mark your calendar” cards in the mail this week for the society’s “Now and Then” luncheon Sept. 29 saluting California theme fashions, First Century Families and the fall-winter collection of designer Luis Estevez.

PAST PERFECT: Nearly 200 friends of antiquarian Gep Durenberger helped him celebrate 20 years as an antiquities dealer the other eve in San Juan Capistrano. Mingling among the French and English antiques and garden sculptures for cocktails and alfresco dining were contingents from the Newport Beach and Laguna area: Alex and Barbara Bowie, Ellen England Stuart, Robert and Lori Warmington, Shirley Birtcher, Jinnie Connolly, Susan Carter, Dan and Kay Evans, Ann Fraser, Steve and Mimi Grant, Bill and Barbara Harwell, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Mauro, former Orange County Supervisor Bruce and Pam Nestande, Diane and Harry Johnson, bringing Joanie Sammis. Bill and Jane Taverner interrupted their sunshine vacation at St. Malo to drive up for the party. Camilla McCaslin came from Washington, also here to celebrate with tons of family the 80th birthday of her father, Lowry McCaslin of La Canada Flintridge.

There were myriads from Los Angeles and Pasadena: Georgie Van de Kamp, Betty Weedon, Barbara and Bill Steinwedell, John and Patsy Austin, Durward and Mimi Howes, Suzanne and Fred Rheinstein and daughter Kate, and Elaine Leventhal. Janet Wasson and daughter Wendy Wasson flew down from Palo Alto for the affair, and Jim and Kathryn Colachis came from La Jolla with Judy and Stephen Smith. Ron and Maurine McMahon of Rancho Santa Fe drove up with Philip and Julie Mossy.

PAST TOO: Chardee and Tuck Trainer entertained closest of friends at a dinner dance for newlywed son Thomas Jr. and his bride Maria Vazquez, married this summer at American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach. Tuck toasted not only the newlyweds, but Chardee and the anniversary of their wedding, June 8, 1957. Among friends: Fred and Peggy Hartley, Earle and Marion Jorgensen, Erlenne and Norman Sprague, Betty and former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican William Wilson, Mrs. Joseph Werner, their daughter Terry, who flew in from Boulder, and Maria’s parents, Dr. Louis and Thelma Vazquez. . . . Belgian Consul General Vincent van der Mersch and Mrs. van der Mersch celebrated Belgian National Day and decorated Mayor Tom Bradley and Los Angeles chief of protocol Bee Canterbury Lavery. . . .

Joining the “Evening With Jean and Irving Stone” at the Natural History Museum for members of the Fellows in connection with the “Magnificent Voyagers” exhibit through Aug. 30 were Evelle and Mildred Younger, Mort and Katie Kline, John and Pat House, Richard and Breta Terzian, Ruth and Roy Nutt, Tom and Betty Reddin and Stephen and Louise Griffith.

THE BIG CROQUET: By sporting standards, $15,000 isn’t a major purse in prize money, but there is plenty of jazz and fun surrounding the Domaine Mumm Croquet Classic at Meadowood in California’s Napa Valley on Sept. 3-6. The Domaine Mumm Croquet Classic will be played under the American six wicket advanced doubles rules of the U.S. Croquet Assn. in a round-robin format. Says Sam Bronfman II, chairman of Domaine Mumm, “We are pleased to be the sponsor of this history-making event with the largest purse in tournament croquet history.” Damon Bidencope, Australian croquet champion, is heading the Napa Valley Croquet Co. organizing the classic. Highlights of the weekend include a Sept. 5 dinner dance to benefit the Napa Valley Opera House and Napa Valley Arts Council, and a pro-am celebrity mini-tournament Sept. 6.

SUMMER ESCALATION: The Bel-Air Council, Navy League of the United States (the Adm. John Ford Memorial), hosts a dinner concert with the Beverly Hills Pops Orchestra on Wednesday at the Beverly Wilshire. The black-tie affair will honor Sybil Brand, Sister Mary Ignatius, Henry L. Plitt and Charles Buddy Rogers as they receive the inaugural Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin Humanitarian Award for their “service to God and country.” John Cacavas will conduct the orchestra at 9 after black-tie guests dine at 8.

The late Rabbi Magnin was a lover of music, and each of the recipients was a close friend. David Gill Evans is general chairman, assisted by Lois Driggs Cannon, Maude K. Chasen, James L. Farley, Ted Gunderson, Katherine Martin and Greta Peck.

UPCOMING: Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times (the camp for children with cancer) benefits from the fashion show Nordstrom sponsors today at the Irvine Hilton. . . . Buddy Rogers entertains residents of the Jewish Homes for the Aging and members of the Ida Mayer Cummings Auxiliary at the annual Buddy Rogers Summer Party on Aug. 12 when Ruth Seltzer receives the Buddy Award for service. . . . Entry fees are $100 for the fifth annual Latin Business Assn. Celebrity Golf/Tennis Tournament Friday at the Industry Hills Country Club. Morning deejay Jay Thomas is honorary celebrity chairman. Mario Machado will master-mind the awards presentations. . . . Jo Ann Cleveland chairs the Dynamic Donors dinner dance for the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier on Saturday evening at the Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier. Planning dancing till midnight and an auction are Larry Clanton, Ron Ferrari, Pat Miller, Ray Cornman, Martin Salazar, Jaclyn Hill, Debbie Vollers and Cathee Kaitanjian. . . .

AND MORE: The Paul Mitchells of Rolling Hills qualify for unique hosts: They’re staging a Pit Bull Tea at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 15 for the Pet Protectors League. The Rainbow Guild, fund-raising arm for the Amie Karen Cancer Fund for Children, screens “The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland” on Aug. 2 at the Cineplex Beverly Center. Proceeds will aid children with cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

CANCERVIVE: Susan Weintraub started Cancervive to support cancer survivors making the transition from illness to well-being. The group fund-raised the past week at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gersh. Attorney Michael Spekter spoke about amending legislation on job discrimination for cancer survivors.

PLAUDITS: Just in time for their 50th wedding anniversary, Harold and Adelle Aisley of Marina del Rey got word they had won the 1987 Honda Acura Legend in the Music Center Unified Fund giveaway. There were 26,000 entries.