December 2013

Within a few years of the end of the Vietnam War, the American public was treated to a series of movies portraying Vietnam veterans in the worst light possible. Starting with The Deer Hunter (1978) and Apocalypse Now (1979), to Platoon (1986), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), and even Forest Gump (1994), Hollywood depicted Vietnam vets as drug users/dealers, rapists, murderers, deserters, suicidal crazies or just plain stupid. But while the American public was having their opinions formed by Hollywood, little did they know they were flying around the country on commercial airliners with at least one, often two, and sometimes three Vietnam veterans in the cockpit.

In his first book, Vietnam to Western Airlines, Vietnam veteran and Lafayette, CA resident, Bruce Cowee, presents an oral history of the air war in Vietnam, which includes the stories and photographs of 36 pilots who all had one thing in common—after returning from Southeast Asia and separating from the service, they were hired as pilots by Western Airlines. As the chapters begin, Cowee tells his story and introduces us to each pilot, all of them volunteers who served honorably in Southeast Asia and, in most cases, never knew each other until they came home and went to work for Western Airlines. Each of the pilots featured in this book is the “real thing,” their stories spanning a nine-year period from 1964 to 1973, covering every aspect of the Air War in Southeast Asia. These 36 men represent only a small fraction of Vietnam veterans hired as pilots by Western Airlines, with some of their compelling stories having never been heard before, not even by members of their own families…until now.

The stories in Vietnam to Western Airlines include everything from heart pounding, edge­of­your­seat combat, to the human-interest and even comic events that often happen in war. Through it all, there is an underlying theme: a group of young men in their 20s, thrust into situations of incredible excitement and danger, given an awesome amount of responsibility, and responding with performances that defy any measure you could come up with to evaluate them, only to return to an unappreciative and often hostile home front. It all makes an annual flight simulator evaluation or an FAA check ride seem pretty ho-hum in comparison.

Cowee was born in Berkeley, California in 1945 and attended Berkeley public schools and the University of California, Berkeley. His road to Vietnam began as an Air Force ROTC cadet, and he still talks about filing a claim for combat pay for his last two years at CAL in the mid-60s!  After a year in Vietnam and three years at Travis AFB, California, flying the C­141, Cowee separated from active duty on July 1, 1972 and was hired as a pilot by Western Airlines on December 12, 1972. After Western’s merger with Delta Air Lines on April 1, 1987, he flew for an additional 17 years and retired from Delta on June 1, 2004, as a Boeing 757/767 Captain, based in Los Angeles.

Cowee’s flying career began with Vietnam and ended with 9/11, where he departed Boston on a “red­eye” to Las Vegas, six hours before the hijackings. Flying New York layovers the whole month of October 2001, the crew could see the eerie dull glow of the fire that still burned at Ground Zero from nearly 100 miles away as they flew at night from Atlanta to LaGuardia. It was described by some as similar to a blast furnace at a steel mill but as Bruce recalls, “it was truly the devil’s work,” and a sight he will never forget.

I got the chance to sit down with Bruce Cowee, an extraordinary man whose healthy exuberance and boyish good looks surprised me. I realized I, too, had bought into the Vietnam veteran stereotypes, and was happy to be set straight on how these young men, no older than my own son, followed the orders of their government, completed the tasks they were sent to do, and, if they were lucky, made it home where their skills and training kept an unbeknownst public safe, 36,000 feet in the air.

ALIVE Magazine: What is Vietnam to Western Airlines about?

Bruce Cowee: The book is real history — living history or oral history, written by those who experienced it. I like the quote, “History is only history if it is accurate, and it is usually best told through the first-person accounts of people who were there.”

AM: What did you hope to accomplish with this book?

BC: I can think of at least five things, and as the time has passed, the importance of this book seems to grow.

1. The book tells the unvarnished truth of each author’s experience in Vietnam, a particular mission he flew or of his overall mission while he was there. Often it includes his thoughts about the way the war was conducted. The bottom line is that each of these men was a volunteer who served honorably when his country called, and no matter what he might have thought of the war or of the politicians who managed every bit of it from Washington, he was proud of his service.
2. The book is dedicated to and serves as a tribute to those who served and couldn’t come home to tell their stories.
3. The book is also a tribute to this particular group of men who came back from Southeast Asia and found themselves together as pilots for Western Airlines. They navigated an unappreciative and often hostile home front and, for the most part, never told their stories or talked about Vietnam except when amongst their closest friends who, more often than not, were fellow veterans.
4. The book tells the stories of a group that was a fraction of the Vietnam era pilots who came home and went to work for the commercial airlines, living normal, productive lives. It makes a good start at attempting to change the stereotypes of Vietnam veterans as perpetuated by Hollywood and the media. One might think such stereotypes would have changed, but that was not my experience talking to a high school class about Vietnam recently and even more surprisingly, an East Coast radio talk show host who was about my age, who seemed to be stuck in 1969.
5. The book, certainly unplanned by me, became a vehicle for several of the authors to tell their stories for the first time. I have received several messages of thanks for providing them a forum to tell their stories and the ability to leave that history for their children and grandchildren. The great quote at the end of the 2012 movie, “Memorial Day,” is: “The stories will live forever but only if they are told.”

AM: How did you get started on this project?

BC: I’ve always been a history buff, yet I think it was a bit of a surprise to me when I was hired as a pilot by Western Airlines in December 1972, that my class of 30 was about 90% military pilots, mostly Vietnam veterans, and nobody talked about Vietnam.

When I was assigned to fly out of Western’s San Francisco pilot base in early 1974, as a second officer on the Boeing 737, almost all of the first officers I flew with were Vietnam veterans. Most of them had been hired in hiring cycle of 1968 – 1969 and some had just returned to work after a furlough of over 2 years. A good number of them still flew in military reserve units, and all services and all aircraft types were represented. For me it was like being a “kid in a candy store,” being live at the History Channel before it even existed! I had incredible access to a group of the most interesting men imaginable, and the unique work environment made it perfect for me. We would go out on a three or four day trip together, working in a cockpit where we sat two to three feet away from each other, hour after hour, then often spend time on our layovers together having meals and visiting the local spots of interest. We often spent more time together in a month than we did with our families.

I always tried to bring the conversation around to the military and Vietnam and found that some of the guys were more willing to talk than others. I learned the right questions to ask and became a good listener, so before long I was hearing the most fascinating stories and basically filing them away for some future project that hadn’t taken shape yet.

The experience I had on my return from Vietnam had a huge impact on me and planted a seed that I needed to do something positive and constructive to counter that experience. With my interest in history and my incredible and unique access to this group, I wanted to pay tribute to Vietnam veterans in general and this group specifically, with the common thread that these men all served honorably in Southeast Asia, and for the most part didn’t know each other until they came home and went to work for Western Airlines.

That was what started this project, but it wasn’t until years later, after Western merged with Delta Air Lines, that I got serious about trying to collect these stories and think about putting a book together. As we got to the mid-1990s, a sense of urgency emerged as this group was starting to retire at a pretty rapid rate, so most of the stories were written in that time frame. Collecting the photos was another major project entirely.

AM: How did you want to tell your story?

BC: This book was never intended to be about me. It only gave me an opportunity to tell a pretty interesting story about my experience, a young man who came of age in the 1960s and was faced with the decisions that every draft-eligible 18-year-old faced. The story of growing up in Berkeley, California and being an ROTC cadet at the University of California from 1962 – 1966, entering the service and then returning to Berkeley after Vietnam in May 1969, is a piece of the “living history” that is this book. That part of my story is told in just a part of the Introduction. The book is about the 36 men who wrote their stories (one wrote two stories, hence 37 chapters). I do not claim to speak for them, and I know that their politics are all over the map, but there is one thing for sure — they all served honorably and are very proud of that service.

AM: What do you mean about negative stereotypes of Vietnam veterans?

BC: There is a section in the Epilogue that addresses and corrects a long list of “statistics” and misconceptions about Vietnam veterans. Hollywood got things started right after the Vietnam War ended with a series of movies depicting Vietnam vets in the worst possible way. When I had the opportunity to speak to a high school class about Vietnam a few years ago, I found that old movies are still the source of most of their thoughts about Vietnam vets, and their history books do little more than glorify the 1960s protest movement. This book presents a different and more accurate picture of what the majority of Vietnam veterans did when they came home. They used the GI Bill to go back to school, they went back home and got on with their lives, and in a lot of cases, pilots included, used the training they received in the military to go on to have very successful civilian careers. A number of them, including Colin Powell, Norman Schwarzkopf, John Jumper, Anthony Zinni, and Carl Mundy, stayed in the military, went on to become 4 star generals, and had very successful careers. They passed on the lessons of Vietnam to the next generation of military officers.

AM:  What are some of the interesting statistics you learned that we might find surprising?

BC:  Vietnam veterans represented 9.7 percent of their generation, and 97% of them were honorably discharged. 91 percent of Vietnam veterans say they’re glad they served, and 74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.

According to a VA study, there is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam veterans and non­Vietnam veterans of the same age group, and Vietnam veterans are less likely to be in prison. 85 percent of Vietnam veterans made successful transitions to civilian life.

A common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted. In fact, two thirds of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers.

Another common belief is that a disproportionate number of African Americans were killed in the Vietnam War. In fact, 86 percent of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian, 12.5 percent African American, and 1.5 percent other races. These figures are proportionate to the racial makeup of the country at the time.

It’s commonly believed that the war was fought largely by the poor and uneducated. The fact is that servicemen who went to Vietnam from well-to-do backgrounds had a slightly elevated risk of dying because they were more likely to be pilots or infantry officers. Vietnam veterans were the best-educated forces our nation had ever sent into combat, with 79% having had a high school education or better.

My favorite statistic is about Vietnam “wannabes.” According to the August 2000 census count, there were just over one million Vietnam veterans still living. In the same census, the number of Americans claiming to have served in­country was nearly 14 million! More than 90 percent of those claiming to be Vietnam veterans are not! I find it most interesting that so many want to claim participation in a war we have been told was so unpopular. My recommendation is the same one I gave the English teacher at the high school where I spoke:  Ask to see a DD Form 214, and that should settle the issue.

AM: Are you bitter about the treatment you received upon returning from Vietnam?

BC: Bitter is not the proper word, as I have never felt bitterness. I am only speaking for myself when answering this question, because I would never presume to speak for anyone else in this book.

I am certainly disappointed, and I think the word “annoyed” would be better to describe how I feel when I hear the old stereotypes passed along as if they are the truth. When I came home, I still had close to three years left to serve in the Air Force, so I went on and spent those first years back in the company of men with similar backgrounds. Then at Western Airlines, I was also in an environment surrounded by men with similar experiences and backgrounds, and although it wasn’t talked about much, it was right under the surface.

I truly felt bad about the incredible travesty that took place at the Oakland Army Terminal on almost a daily basis back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Army troops who were returning from Vietnam flew into Travis AFB and were taken by bus to the Oakland Army Terminal where those separating from the service out-processed and walked out the front gate as civilians. Many were either draftees or those who had enlisted for two years and were probably an average age of 20. About 24 hours out of Vietnam, they faced the mobs of protesters, glorified in today’s history books, who threw tomatoes and rotten fruit at the buses and then made them walk a gauntlet as they headed for buses to the Oakland or San Francisco airport and a flight home. Travesty is probably not an adequate word to describe this, but if you’re looking for reasons why a lot of Vietnam veterans have never talked about their war experience, you don’t have to look far.

AM: What has been the response to Vietnam to Western Airlines from the pilots who’ve shared their stories?

BC:  It’s been pretty amazing. The overwhelming thought that has been expressed is a big “thank you, for letting us tell our stories, and “congratulations” for having the perseverance to see this project through to the end and for making the commitment to do it in a first class manner, in a beautiful book they will be proud to pass along to their children and grandchildren.

It has been a pretty emotional time, as I have had several of the authors tell me that they never would have put their stories in writing or bothered to search for their photos and put them together in this way. As a general rule, this is one of the most private groups of men when it comes to sharing their Vietnam experience, and I know from working with them that they seldom, if ever, talked about Vietnam over the years.

I have been told by four of the authors that they never would have told their stories if I hadn’t approached them, and they told me they wouldn’t have done it for anyone else. That is probably the most humbling part of this whole experience. There were several who had such compelling and “life changing” experiences in Vietnam, and those stories to tell, that they were just waiting for the right “vehicle” to come along and someone they could trust not to misuse their stories. One friend in particular looked me in the eye and said he thought long and hard about telling his story and only decided to do it because I was his friend and he trusted me to “do this right.” More than one told me they would write something, then told me they sat down to write and couldn’t do it, so I ended up interviewing them, taking notes, writing the story and then sending it back and forth several times until they were happy with the result. I suppose that is why I use the words “honored and humbled” more than once in the Preface and Introduction to the book. It has been a tremendous responsibility to be entrusted with these stories and I couldn’t be happier that the book is finally in print.

Probably the most incredible reaction came from one author in particular who told me he had never told his story and was quite surprised that I even knew about it when I approached him, as he couldn’t figure out who could have known and given me his name. He had told his wife a brief version but never told his children and they had never seen his photos, which are on display for the first time. Another universal truth that emerged: every author who received a decoration or award for a particular mission never mentioned it in his story. It was only my asking about it that got them to tell that part of the story. Not wanting to appear to be bragging or engaging in self-promotion was the common denominator, and there are several stories where decorations should have been and most likely were involved but were not mentioned. When I asked, I was told that it wasn’t important.

The most poignant message came in an email we received on the website when a very senior, retired Western Airlines Captain sent the following: he was hired in the early 1960s, several years before the first Vietnam veterans were hired by Western. He said as he looked down the chapter index that he had worked with most of them over the years, and he had never heard one of them talk about Vietnam. He was anxious to read the book and hear their stories for the first time. That says it all about this group.

For more information, including media interviews and book orders, visit www.VietnamToWesternAirlines.com.

 

 

 

Some of us dream of the day we can store the four-door sedan and jump into a sporty two-door coupe or roadster. There is something about these racy little cars that cry “freedom.” Perhaps it’s because, despite having a small backseat, there really isn’t any room for the kids!

When it comes to the mid-level luxury coupe market, your choices are limited. With that said, Infiniti continues to refine its entry to the point where it has even renamed it. Infiniti is renaming its vehicle lineup as it revitalizes its place in the premium vehicle market. For example, the former G37 coupe for 2014 has been reintroduced as the Q60 Coupe.

The 2014 Infiniti Q60 line up is the following: Journey Coupe ($40,400), AWD Coupe ($42,050), S Coupe ($45,500), IPL Coupe 6-Speed Manual ($52,105), IPL (performance model) Coupe Automatic ($54,005). The base model offered during the G37 era is no longer available. All trim levels carry the new 2014 Q60 rumbling 3.7-liter V6 with 330 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. Mated to the V6 is a seven-speed automatic transmission which is standard or an optional six-speed manual transmission.

Styling of the 2014 Q60 is unchanged from its previous name sake the G37. With that said, the current design that debuted in 2009 has held up nicely. What is new for 2014 is a new exterior paint color, Venetian Ruby.

The interior offers comfortable front seats but not much room for rear passengers. The standard equipment list is extensive. All models offer a standard 7-inch color information display, remote keyless entry with auto-locking, power windows, mirrors, door locks, and seats, HID bi-xenon headlights, automatic climate control, push-button start, and a lot more. Optional upgrades vary by model, but include: GPS navigation, sport-tuned suspension, sonar-assisted parking sensors, a Bose 11-speaker audio system (standard on the Sport model), dual-occupant memory driver’s seat, voice-recognition control for infotainment and navigation, and more.

The 3.7-liter V6 engine unleashes 330-hp and features exclusive VVEL® technology that continually tunes valve lift and timing for quicker response and broader torque curve. Infiniti’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD) provides power where needed, instantly adapting to changing conditions. By constantly monitoring wheelspin, throttle position and vehicle speed, this system automatically diverts up to 50% of the available power to the front wheels, enhancing traction and control in adverse conditions. When all-wheel drive is not needed, the system sends 100% of the power to the rear wheels for more responsive road performance.

Room for improvement:

• For the size of the car it could do better on the gas mileage

Cool Features:

• Voice-recognition control for infotainment and navigation
• AWD option

Safety on the 2014 Infiniti Q60 includes Infiniti’s Advanced Air Bag System which includes dual-stage front supplemental air bags with seat belt and occupant-classification sensors that adjust their inflation rate depending on crash severity and seat belt usage. If the front passenger seat is empty, a sensor will deactivate the air bag. Seat-mounted side-impact air bags move with the seat to help maintain optimum positioning at all times. Roof-mounted curtain side-impact air bags help protect front and outboard rear occupants during certain side collisions. The Q60 offers a Traction Control System that senses wheel spin and automatically reduces engine output and/or brakes the spinning wheel. An Intelligent Cruise Control uses laser sensors to detect a rapidly slowing vehicle ahead, then pre-pressurizes the braking system in anticipation of emergency braking.

In Summary – The 2014 Infiniti Q60 offers a lot of fun and technology for those interested in sprinting around. As with most coupes, the back seat space is very limited so don’t plan on using it to transport the family around. Now if you are looking for a short mile commute car or weekend warrior machine with your “someone special’” then the Q60 can take you places. Either way, it is a lot of fun to drive with a comfortable cock pit, more than enough power and a great sounding exhaust.

Specifications

2014 Infiniti Q60 Journey coupe

Base price:                  $40,400 as driven: $50,405 (including destination)

Engine:                           3.7-Liter V6

Horsepower:               330@ 7000 RPM

Torque:                          270 @ 5200 RPM

Transmission:             Seven-speed automatic

Drive:                              Rear Wheel-Drive

Seating:                          4-passenger

Turning circle:            36.1 feet

Cargo space:                7.4 cubic feet

Curb weight:                3,633 pounds

Fuel capacity:             20 gallons

EPA mileage:               City 19/Hwy 27

Wheel Base:                  112.2 inches

Warranty:                     4 years/50,000 miles powertrain limited

Also consider:             Audi TT RS, BMW 4-Series Coupe, Porsche Cayman

 

 

 

 

Theo Woodall, an unassuming mild-mannered man, was born in London in 1922. As a youth he enjoyed creating objects and working with his hands, later becoming maker of mechanical components and a master exotic wood turner. He joined the Royal Air Force during World War II and was commissioned to make small airplane components in Egypt.

Years later, in order to hone his skills, Theo restored an 1861 Holtzapffel lathe for precision engineering, manufacture of machine parts and components. After Theo’s life took an unexpected turn, he worked towards more ornamental creations for which he received the turner’s guild recognition as an artist, and later as a credentialed silversmith with his own hallmarks.

In 1969, while driving from a funeral, a family member dropped subtle clues about his ancestry, suggesting he apply for a copy of his birth certificate at the Somerset House Archives. So, at age 47, Theo read his birth registration and was struck by a thunderbolt of twin emotions; a shock that the people who raised him were not his birth parents, and that his real father was Nicholas Faberge, the youngest of five sons of Peter Carl Faberge—Jeweler to the Czar’s Russian Imperial Court.

Few names could strike awe into the heart of an artist as that of the legendary Peter Carl Faberge, master jeweler extraordinaire. Theo Woodall was stunned realizing he was not son of the Woodalls who had raised him, but son of Nicholas Faberge, and grandson of the master craftsman himself—of the fabled House of Faberge.

It became evident by the birth certificate that Theo Woodall, born out of wedlock, was the son of Nicholas Faberge, and grandson of the legendary Peter Carl. And his then eleven year-old daughter Sarah was the great-granddaughter of the fabled jeweler to the Russian Czar.

The Registrar’s Certificate #7888 showed Theo’s birthdate as 26 September 1922, father was Nicholas Faberge, artist-painter, living at 122 Fulham Road, and mother was Dorise Cladish, scholar, 6 Wellington Square. Nicholas’ occupation as artist-painter showed he worked at 76 Fulham Road.

At the time of Theo’s birth in 1922, Nicholas was about 37 and Dorise a tender 17. Rumor has it that the lovers were “desperately in love” according to a relative of Nicholas’ late wife. Research shows that Nicholas Faberge occupied studio #11 at The Avenue on the mews, an avant-garde artist, sculptor and foundry collective, where John Singer Sargent had occupied studios #8, 12 and 14 for over 20 years. In 1893 Charles Edward Halle created the Shaftsbury ‘Eros’ statue at The Avenue and in 1896 James Abbott Whistler had painted in a rented studio.

Nicholas ran the family’s Faberge jewelry shop, establishing himself as an artist and one of London’s first fashion photographers during the Belle Époque period of conspicuous luxury and lavish consumption. He sailed to Bangkok to personally deliver jewelry and objects of fantasy to the Czar’s friend and ally, the King of Siam.

As the story goes, in 1906 Nicholas was dispatched to London from St Petersburg to run the House of Faberge at 48 Dover Street to cater to the carriage trade. The shop later moved to tony 173 Bond Street in 1910 and closed in 1915 during the Great War. A far worse disaster followed the Faberge family during the Russian Revolution.

The House of Faberge was already internationally renowned as Peter Carl was commissioned by Russia’s Czar Alexander III in 1885 to create the first bejeweled Easter egg for his beloved Empress Maria Fedorovna. Peter Carl exceeded all expectations by creating the unique golden gift with a ‘surprise’ inside of a perfect ruby egg. It was customary in Orthodox Russia to celebrate Eastertide with eggs, a symbol of life, and a golden gem-studded one for the Empress was a most spectacular token of love. The gifting of Faberge eggs to royal wives and mothers became a Royal Family tradition.

Of the 56 Imperial Easter eggs created for the Royal Family, 45 of the rare pieces survive, and bring millions of dollars at auction. The Rothschild Faberge Timepiece Egg was auctioned at Christie’s London in 2007 for nearly 9 million pounds, over $14 million, and the jewel-encrusted Winter Egg was bought for $9.6 million in 2002 by the State of Qatar. Malcolm Forbes amassed the largest collection of 9 Faberge Eggs, later sold to Russian energy magnate, Viktor Vekselberg for over $100 million.

The House of Faberge at one time employed 500 to 700 goldsmith craftsmen who made over 100,000 jeweled and precious metal objets d’art. Czar Nicholas II, last ruler of the Romanov Dynasty, commissioned the House of Faberge to create original eggs each year for his mother, the Empress Dowager and his wife, Empress Alexandra.

When Imperial Russia was brought to its knees by the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, the House of Faberge was seized and nationalized. Nicholas Faberge decided to remain in London. In 1918 the Bolsheviks stormed palaces, mansions and businesses, and the House of Faberge. Guards confiscated the priceless inventory and equipment, hauling it to the Kremlin. The Faberge family escaped Russia to Germany, eventually settling in Switzerland.

The royal Romanov family was not as fortunate; Czar Nicholas, Empress Alexandra and their children were brutally murdered in a cellar in 1918. It is purported the execution order to shoot the entire family came from Lenin himself. Russia lost its Imperial glory yielding to socialist mayhem, massacre and destruction.

FABERGE LEGACY

Peter Carl Faberge was born in Russia in 1846 of Huguenot heritage. The original surname Favri changed in 1825 to Faberge after the family fled religious prosecution in the 17^th century. The family lived in Bouteille, France and made their way east, settling in St Petersburg. Peter Carl trained as a goldsmith in St Petersburg, Dresden and Paris where he also gained business acumen. The Romanovs admired the House of Faberge creations of unparalleled excellence, and commissioned the atelier as jewelers to the Imperial Court.

After the Russian Revolution, the House of Faberge in St Petersburg was no more, later established in Paris. The fabled Faberge name had become a commodity unto itself. In 1939 the Faberge brand name was sold, and resold in 1964 to Rayette Inc. a cosmetics firm who marketed hairspray and men’s Faberge BRUT. The rights to the Faberge name changed many times during the 20^th century, and in 1951 the family lost all rights to market anything under their own name. The post-Gilded Age period is referred as the “Wilderness Years”.

Among the Faberge name-owners were Unilever (cleaning agents, Lipton, VO5) who bought the rights in 1989 for $1.55 billion, and then it sold to “ELIDA Faberge”. In 2007, Faberge came under new ownership and the family name was restored to Peter Carl’s two great-granddaughters, Tatiana Faberge and Sarah (Woodall) Faberge. In 2009 the Faberge brand was re-launched with the legal use of their legacy; the fabled Faberge name.

The Faberge line of luxurious jewelry, objects of fantasy, accoutrements, and timepieces of timeless perfection are featured at Harrods London, and many Faberge-owned stores including Dubai, Qatar, Geneva, Paris and New York.

THE ST PETERSBURG COLLECTION

When Theo Faberge discovered his auspicious heritage, initially he chose not to emulate his famous grandfather, but instead, along with his daughter Sarah, created unique objets d’art, jewelry and objects of fantasy. In 1986 they created a line of egg-shaped objets d’art with precious metals, jewels and crystal, launching a limited edition of signature designs as The St Petersburg Collection by Theo Faberge. The Faberge father-daughter team created fifty egg designs, each limited to issues of only 750.

The exquisite music box eggs today are collected worldwide, and when they come available, can bring prices as high as $10,000 for the enchanting creations. Sarah Faberge designs exquisite eggs in the family tradition of excellence in limited editions, many for charity fundraising causes.

The world of mild-mannered Theo Faberge took on newfound fame when his own masterful exotic wood creations drew international acclaim and awards for excellence. Later the White House commissioned him to create an egg to celebrate its 200^th Anniversary. All his life he had followed unwittingly in the artistic footsteps of his fabled grandfather, before even aware of his legendary heritage.

Theo Faberge died in 2007. His heritage endures as craftsman of superlative talent for his beautifully designed masterpieces. The legacy of the objets d’ art creators, bearer of inherent Faberge heritage, continues with Sarah Faberge at the design helm guiding the rebranding of the storied firm—the House of Faberge—jewelers to Imperial Russia.

The House of Faberge today is a high-profile giant in luxury goods retailing with a superb global marketing strategy for rebranding the storied name. Sarah Faberge forges ahead with her own innovative designs, modern and classy, and speaks of a fresh approach to the tastes of contemporary consumers. “We must move on,” she says.

Birth of a new World

The late 15^th and early 16^th centuries marked a period of revolutionary exploration as Man daringly took to the Seas in quest of knowledge and trade.  The astounding discoveries of these journeys led to the publication of a new map of the world in 1507 which, for the first time in history, incorporated those four magic syllables that have become synonymous with the promise of Liberty and Justice:  America.  Not only was the newly named America defined as a continent to the West of Europe, the map also marked an all water route to the Far East.  Thus was born a New World, driven by opportunity as well as commerce from these newly charted lands.    Theo Fabergé celebrates the 500^th anniversary of this momentous occasion with his Birth of a New World Egg.

The historic map, drafted by Martin Waldseemüller and published in Cosmographiae Introductio, is hand-engraved in lavish detail on the Egg’s 18-karat gold hand-spun shell.  Laid out after the system of Ptolemy, the Greek astronomer of the first century A.D., each continent and island is reproduced by Theo Fabergé in painstaking loyalty to the 500-year old original, a copy of which was purchased by the United States Library of Congress for $12 million in 1999 after an almost 90-year quest to obtain the scroll.

Upon the Egg’s shell above and below the engraved map is a pattern of rope-work detail in white gold, framing two panels of symbolic clouds. The finial adorning the top of the shell is modeled after two heraldic cartographers’ dolphins, their faces styled in the manner of the major winds shown on the Waldseemüller Map.

The base of the Birth of a New World continues the Egg’s epic themes as, cast in bronze, two of the greatest explorers of all time whose fearless voyages contributed to the Waldseemüller Map are depicted in miniature: Amerigo Vespucci and Vasco da Gama. Dressed in the robes and Christian jewelry of their epoch, they stand heroically astride a symbolic log-book, its page indicated by a golden marker embellished with the signature Fabergé swags and set with a brilliant diamond. With one hand, the explorers hold the instruments and scrolls of their vocation while with the other they support aloft the golden Egg upon which is represented the Map.

Open the Egg to reveal the surprise:  a model of da Gama’s majestic flagship the San Gabriel in sterling silver and 24-carat gold sailing upon a base engine-turned in mimicry of the ocean waves. Lift up the ship and see a final detail in the Fabergé family tradition:  Theo has placed a perfect miniature of a 16^th century mariner’s quadrant in silver and gold to guide the explorers of yesteryear, as well as today’s collectors, on their voyages.

Theo Fabergé’s Birth of a New World Egg is a wondrous tribute to America and its origins, and the apogee of craftsmanship and valuable design in the 21^st century.

Limited to six for the World Market

Height: 13¼ inches

 

 

 

 

 

As Christmas rapidly approaches, I instinctively think of traditional Yuletide essentials that are as relevant today as they were 50, 75 or 100 years ago. No, I’m not talking about eggnog. That holiday egg, milk, vanilla drink is totally gross, but Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without such traditional trappings as a jolly Santa at every mall, nativity scenes out in front of a church or mistletoe inappropriately scattered throughout the workplace. Everyone loves Christmas presents under the Christmas tree, neighborhoods decorated with millions of Christmas lights and a scented holiday wreath hanging on the front door or over the fireplace mantle. As a family, we especially love sending and receiving the ever popular annual Shuttlerfly Christmas photo cards. I’m even proudly wearing an ugly wool Christmas sweater right now, compliments of my dear old Aunt Dorothy.  

One of my absolute favorite holiday traditions is to sing the always popular and joyful Christmas Carol. You can’t sing a Christmas carol without a smile on your face and the Christmas spirit in your heart. Just think about all the popular Christmas carols we’ve listened to over the years and how much we enjoy hearing our children belt out those same songs (albeit out of tune and a little off key). Such holiday classics as Jingle Bells, Silent Night, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, Oh Christmas Tree, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Little Drummer Boy and Joy to the World, bring, well, Joy to the World. I also love reminiscing about all the wonderful recording artists that have performed these treasured holiday classics over the years. When I was a child, my parents introduced me to the carol stylings of Mr. Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy Williams, Paul Anka and the Carpenters. More recently, now that I am considered musically challenged and horribly out of touch, my children have introduced me to some wonderful holiday vocal arrangements by contemporary performers including; Miss Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson Josh Groban, Rascal Flatts, Dave Matthews and Beyonce.

Sadly, the one musical genre not represented on the radio with a traditional Christmas Carol is rap. Where are the Christmas song offerings of Mr. Eminem, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macklemore or Kanye West?  I don’t even recall the original rap gangsters such as Ice Tea, Ice Cube, MC Hammer or DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince doing a Christmas carol back in the day (although, now that I think of it, Tone Loc might have come out with Funky Cold Menorah back in December of 1989).

Just like any other genre, rap has its place at the piano, as people at office gatherings or neighborhood block parties get together to ring in the holidays through song.

With the unauthorized assistance of my favorite rap lyricist, Dr.Suess, I have crafted the following rap Christmas carol paying homage to my beloved town of Danville. If I can get two turntables and a microphone, with a beat box accompaniment, feel free to sing along with MC Mr. Mike to All the Dans Down in Danville rap Christmas carol.

 

Every Dan, down in Danville, likes Christmas a lot

But the Dans were all busy, with little time left to shop

There was still much to do, life was moving non-stop

With the day drawing nearer no time on the clock.

 

The pace of our lives, it’s like running a race

With Dan work and Dan school it’s double the pace

There’s never the bandwidth, real-time doesn’t last

If you blink for a moment you’ll be left in the past

 

You see Danville was just… a town sleepy and kind

Not far from the regions of high tech and wine

The Dans shopped at malls, bought gift cards online

But this fast pace of life was a strange state of mind

 

Moms baked their Dan-cookies, Dad hung the Dan-lights

We wrapped our Dan-presents and went to Dan-parties at nights

With the Dan-conomy in flux, not fruitful not tight

To own shares of Dan Twitter or Dan Apple would be a wonderful sight

 

The children of Danville were all still in school

They had finals to take and projects past due

They longed for their break, one week – no wait, two

To sleep late in the day, chill and be cool

 

Kids will be kids no matter where at

But the kids of today are consumed by Snap Chat

It wasn’t like that we wore kid hats

I miss those simpler Dan times, before I was fat

 

Our neighbors are nice… and none are a GRINCH

And if you ask them quite nicely, they will help in a pinch.

And when they are helping most would give more than an inch

It’s that neighborly feel that made choosing Danville a cinch.

 

When the big day arrives, I’ll dress in all fleece

My wife will be working, preparing our feast

Yes, the Dans like to feast… oh we feast and we feast

We feast on Dan Turkey, Dan Ham and Dan Beef

 

The day rarely gets cold, rainy or wet

Christmas day in Danville will be gorgeous I bet

After breakfast and church the family is all set

To open our gifts with carols streaming the net

 

Then cousins come over, aunts and uncles abound

They converge on the house from all over town

There is football to watch as Dan-snacks litter the ground

It’s chaos galore with a deafening sound

 

When dinner is eaten and dessert all consumed

Dan kiddies grow tired and adults start to swoon

Cars will be loaded, Dans piling out of the room

The end of a day that ended too soon

 

Dan hugs and Dankisses, goodbyes loud and clear

The day was so nice, filed with laughter and cheer

In just one more week a new year will be here

Time is moving so quickly, we’re getting older I fear

 

Christmas is not about presents, ribbons or wrappings

It’s not about toys, tinsel, trimmings or trappings

The holidays are about joy, traditions and samplings

For all the Dans down in Danville love the holiday happenings

 

Word!

It may not be the type of carol the kids learn in school, but I think it’s got potential to catch on at Elliot’s bar in downtown Danville. I might see if I can word-smith a similar tune for my friends in Alamo and San Ramon…next year. Until then, when you’re sitting in front of your Christmas tree sipping a cup of that gross and nasty eggnog, know that MC Mr. Mike is wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season. Merry Christmas.