Capitalists, Kremlin Will Put Eggnost in One Basket

--Art will imitate politics when two collections of priceless Faberge eggs--one from the Soviet Union and one from U.S. billionaire Malcolm S. Forbes--are combined for an exhibition in both countries. Irina Rodimtseva, director of the Moscow Armory Museum, said through an interpreter that the exchange “is very closely related to the improvement of relations” between the two countries. And Christopher Forbes, whose father owns a dozen of the jewel-encrusted golden eggs created by artist Carl Faberge for Russian Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II, said: “We’re calling this eggnost. Even during previous thaws, we were never able to get the eggs rolling.” San Diego will be the host city for a “Treasures of the Soviet Union” exhibit beginning Oct. 21. Mayor Maureen O’Connor said the exact number of eggs to be shown is under negotiation. The Soviets own 10 of them, and several of Forbes’ eggs will be displayed with the Soviet collection in the Kremlin after the combined showing in San Diego.

--There’s more in some names than in others, if a New York autograph auction is any indication. A Greta Garbo signature on a movie contract went for $3,850; Babe Ruth’s autographed photograph fetched $600. But an autographed copy of former President Jimmy Carter’s book “Why Not the Best?” failed to find a buyer, even at the opening price of $75. Others outselling Carter included fired National Security Council staff member Oliver L. North ($450 for a signed high school yearbook), Benjamin Franklin ($11,000 for an autograph), former President Richard M. Nixon ($500 for a letter signed “Dick”) and Thomas Edison ($7,700 for a signed patent). One Carter item did sell, a White House card signed in facsimile and projected to bring $700 to $800. It went for $150. And the book drew a blank. “Very popular President,” one observer said sarcastically.

--World chess champion Gary Kasparov was criticized in an open letter on the front page of Sovietsky Sport, the leading Soviet sports publication. The four signers of the letter, including Olympic champion pole vaulter Sergei Bubka and Alexei Kolesov, deputy chairman of the Soviet Sports Committee, accused Kasparov of caring only for himself and said his ideas were detrimental to the entire Soviet sports movement. They assailed him for a recent interview in which he attacked the sports committee for taking the lion’s share of payments to Soviets competing abroad.