Last Thursday's trip was to a suburb of Chicago where there is a lapidary museum call the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art. Joseph Lizzadro came from Italy around the turn of the last century as a young child. He rose in the business world to become the chairman of the board of Meade Electric all the while having a passion for lapidary (the cutting and polishing of stone).
Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
Florentine Mosaic
A most rare and expensive color
A rare blue color but not as desired as the green Jadeite
Copper from Michigan
Amethyst
A Gemologist guided us on our tour explaining the difference between rocks and gems, rocks being made from more than one mineral and gems usually having just one major component. Lapis happens to be a rock that is also classified as a gem.
Mr Lizzadro began collecting back in the 1920's mostly pieces that were not necessarily antique but of the utmost quality as far as carving and formation. He was an artist in regard to producing finely carved pieces and jewelry.
He purchased many pieces from China that were of the Jadeite and Nephrite quality many priceless today.
Nephrite Jade
Older than Jadeite
Jadeite Candlesticks
All of these colors were contained within one full piece of Jade
I am ashamed to say that I went many years to college across the way from this unique museum and never ventured over for a visit. I said to myself, rocks,? why would I be interested in rocks? Well, I finally got here and probably appreciate it much more than I would have then.
This is a screen made entirely of stones all pieced together like a wonderful painting given to the Emperor of China in his "white eyebrow birthday year" (assumed to be about 70 years old) in 1736. The background is all made of cinnabar in multiple patterns.
The Lizzadro has dioramas that line the walls filled with unique carvings that both children and adults love to look at.
Ziggy
He was the longest living elephant from the Brookfield Zoo. When he died in 1972 they used his tusks for this carving. He is carved from Obsidian and ivory.
The parrot is carved from Jasper and Malachite
There is a full wall of snuff bottles, snuff being powdered tobacco, which was used from the 1600's until about 1912. It was at this time that cigarettes replaced the snuff.
Eileen, thank you for another educative and entertaining article! I love gems and minerals and absolutely enjoyed your photographs!
ReplyDeleteP.S.Your hydrangeas from the previous post are dazzling!
Hi Eileen. What fabulous pieces of art.The pictures are amazing. I would hate to be the person that had to keep them clean. LOL! I would be petrified at breaking them.
ReplyDeleteWow, those are some rocks! I never knew there was a blue jade...I like the green color better, too. That looks like one big pair of candlesticks--gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your fun and educational outing with us.
Woah, these are beautiful! I never would've guessed we had anything like this in the area. I'll have to check it out as dioramas are one of my favorite things to look at.
ReplyDeleteTatyana,
ReplyDeleteThere were so many gems I did not photograph all were gorgeous.
Eileen
Lona, you would love this place but neither of us would want to do the dusting.
ReplyDeleteEileen
Zoey.
ReplyDeleteI never knew there were so many colors or jade also plus new jade and old jade. I should go back again, there was just so much to see.
Eileen
Hi MBT,
ReplyDeleteThere were so many dioramas, you would have loved them with the creativity of the stones and the carving. It's about twenty minutes west of the loop.
Eileen
Hi Eileen,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post. I would never knew this museum exist in my neighborhood. I am a fan of this kind of art.
Lily
Hi Lily,
ReplyDeleteI passed it every day for years and never went in. They don't do a lot of advertising.
Eileen
wow....what a wonderful place to visit! I am so glad you took us along for the trip! I love some of those gems!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully interesting post. Thanks so mcu for being a part of Seasonal Sundays.
ReplyDelete- The Tablescaper
Hi Tootsie,
ReplyDeleteSometimes the best places are close to our own homes. This one was a winner.
Eileen
Hi Tablescaper,
ReplyDeleteI love your seasonal Sundays, always beautiful ideas.
Eileen
What a beautiful post! I love the Florentine mosaics. I love stones, gems and plain old "rocks." I used to collect them when I was younger...now I garden with them. :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs, Beth
I found you on Seasonal Sundays! This is the most interesting post -- very informative.
ReplyDeleteHi Beth,
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to see that these mosiacs are stone. They look like paintings.
Eileen
Hi Scribbler,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting.
Eileen
Eileen, since we love all things 'rock' I think you have shown us a new museum to explore. What a fascinating place! So much talent in the world, thank you for taking us on this tour.
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