Museum Puts a Live Faberge in the Spotlight

The San Diego Museum of Art may have snared a czar’s ransom in jeweled Faberge eggs for the fast-approaching Soviet Arts Festival, but the San Diego Natural History Museum imported an actual Faberge--self-described artisan Theo Faberge, grandson of legendary master jeweler Carl Faberge--as its own contribution to the festival.

Faberge, a British subject whose cheerful Cockney accent makes him seem more than a generation removed from Imperial Russia, modestly held the spotlight through the evening Friday at a small fund-raising dinner for 75 given at the museum. That institution’s board of directors and Jessops Jewelers co-hosted the event, which included a viewing of the Theo Faberge “Friendship Egg” commissioned by Jessops for the festival, and previewed an exhibition of Carl Faberge pieces lent by Fallbrook collector William Larson.

The evening might have been titled “All About Eggs,” since Faberge--who must tire of the topic from time to time--was repeatedly called upon to explain the significance of the blue crystal ovoid that he created for the festival. The piece, decorated with enameled bands in the colors of the American and Soviet flags, encases a silver miniature of the Horton Plaza fountain that in its turn encases a tiny lapis lazuli egg; such miniatures hidden inside the larger egg are hallmarks of the classic Faberge creations.

Faberge explained that the design came to him as he flew home from a scouting expedition to San Diego.

“The fountain flashed in my mind immediately because to me it seemed the most striking thing you have in San Diego,” said Faberge. “I also used lapis from both the U.S. and Russia, as a link between the two countries. The blue of the egg can signify sea and sky, which you’ve got plenty of around here.”

Later, in formal remarks, Faberge told the audience that he was particularly honored that the museum had chosen to place his own artworks alongside his grandfather’s. “It’s the first time it’s ever been done in public, and I’m very grateful,” he said.

“Theo is the only Faberge continuing in this line of work,” said Jessops President Ken Laughlin. “No other Faberges make eggs.” (250 of the “Friendship Eggs” were commissioned by the jewelry company. One was presented to the museum that evening as an addition to its permanent collection, and another has been designated a gift to the city of San Diego. The rest are available for a mere $3,150 each.)

Even the caterer, John Baylin, got into the eggy act by sculpting massive ovals of cream cheese, which he decorated in the style of Faberge eggs with jewel-like bands of red, gold and black caviar. These were for the cocktail buffet; the dinner itself proceeded on a subtler Russian note with red pepper soup and a cream dessert as fluffy as a St. Petersburg snowfall.

Museum board President Pam Bruder explained Faberge’s appearance as something of a cultural windfall.

“We had to think of something special for the Soviet Arts Festival, since so many other institutions are participating,” she said. “Gems and minerals naturally are important to this museum, and we tried to get Faberge gems and precious mineral carvings from the Soviet Union but were unsuccessful. Instead, we have a real live Faberge.”

“We’re trying to be a part of the cultural scene in the city, and this exhibit helps,” said museum Executive Director Hal Mahan. “We want to be a major cultural institution, but we feel we haven’t achieved that, so we’re going to redo all of our exhibits.” (One of new facilities will be the Cara Knott Science Teacher Resource Center, a $600,000 project named in honor of the San Diego State University student slain in 1986. Sam Knott, who heads the fund-raising effort for the project named for his daughter, attended the Friday benefit.)

The guest list included Pat and Hugh Carter, Jeanne and William Larson, Mimi and Judge Robert Coates, Joe Jessop, Marilyn and Rudolph Regalado, Emma Lee and Jack Powell, Brenda and James Richmond, Stuart Bruder, William Disher, the Sandford Penners and the David Groces.

CORONADO--The Russians may be coming, but the Mexican-American heritage of many San Diegans as well as cultural and social interactions with Tijuana have dominated the calendar of late. On Saturday, both the Alba 80 Society and the Mexican and American Foundation hosted their major annual galas, and on September 29, Tijuana socialites Afife and Sirak Baloyan opened their immense palacio for a fund-raising luncheon that numbered about 100 San Diego County residents among the 350 guests.

About 450 guests obliged the theme of the Alba 80 Society’s 11th annual Black and White Ball by turning up at the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel del Coronado dressed exclusively in those shades. The event, which provides scholarships to youths ranging from junior high school through university and trade school, is patterned after a ball introduced at the turn of the century at the Churubusco Country Club in Mexico City (now called Campestre de la Ciudad de Mexico). At that time a magnet for the most influential families in Mexico, the Churubusco Club originated the “Blanco y Negro” as a type of debutante ball at which “princesses” from each state of Mexico and from the United States were presented to the elite.

At Saturday’s gala, 10 young women competed to be named Alba Society Queen for 1990 while an audience composed of a broad spectrum of San Diego County politely cheered. The new queen, LiLiana Zuniga, will be among many new Alba scholarship recipients; 50 were granted in the most recent round of awards.

The Benny Hollman Orchestra played the grand march from “Aida” for the procession of queen hopefuls, but obliged with Latin rhythms through the rest of the evening, which also included a dinner of poached halibut and steak, casino gambling, and a sea-going decor that featured centerpieces populated by tropical fish.

The guest list included Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara) , who shared a table with former San Diego Councilwoman Celia Ballesteros, and with former CBS News President Sig Mickelson and his wife, Elena Mier y Teran; Alba President Martha Contreras and her husband, Sal, and ball co-chairwomen Mary Brito, Bea Gonzalez and Maria Rosa Stanley.

The Mexican and American Foundation’s 18th annual “Evening With the Stars” was given the same evening at both Golden Hall and the Civic Theatre. The event concluded with an elaborate stage show but was highlighted by the presentation of awards to a trans-border roster of movers and shakers that included arts patron and Occidental Petroleum Chairman Dr. Armand Hammer; U.S. Treasurer-designate Catalina Vasquez Villalpando; Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), and Carlos Hussong Gonzalez of the prominent Hussong family in Ensenada.

TIJUANA--The proposed Colegio Cumbres de Tijuana, which would be a branch of the top-ranked group of Cumbres elementary schools based in Mexico City, benefited from the luncheon given September 29 by Afife and Sirak Baloyan.

The event marked the first time that the Baloyans have opened their astonishing, 30,000-square-foot home (most guests compared it to Versailles, which seemed reasonable) for a fund-raiser. Guests took advantage of this rare occasion to see the massive treasure house of antiques and artworks, which also includes its own discotheque and enough closets to make all the Gabors envious.

The lunch started at 2 p.m., or quite early by Tijuana standards even if it was rather later than some of the Americans had anticipated.