As winter’s hold loosens on the frozen Illinois soil, thoughts may come to mind about what lies beneath. What gems and minerals can be unearthed, and what can they offer?

At the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Elmhurst, they have made a habit of enjoying the beauty of unearthed gems as complemented through the art of lapidary, or cutting and polishing stone. The museum began with the collection of lapidary art of Joseph F. Lizzadro Sr. He began his collection in the 1930s with his first item, a Chinese jade carving.

The collection expanded and in 1962, the museum opened its doors. Its mission statement is: “To share with others our enjoyment of the eternal beauty in gemstones and our appreciation of the art with which man has complemented the works of nature.”

The museum has an array of beautiful pieces. “These are amazing,” declared Lora Disque, a visitor from Pawnee, Ill.
Disque, along with Rose Hammitt of Salisbury, Ill., took the tour. Hammitt, a jewelry maker, especially enjoyed the gift shop and the array of stones available to the public.

At the museum, the most impressive item is the Imperial Screen that was presented to Emperor Qianlong in 1971, then brought to the United States for the 1939 World’s Fair. The screen stayed in the States because of political unrest in China and Lizzadro purchased it, eventually adding it to his collection.

The panels of the screen are fashioned out of cinnabar on a frame of rosewood and depict the seasons of the year using jade, lapis lazuli, jasper, amethyst, malachite, rose quartz serpentine, tiger-eye, turquoise, agate, coral mother-of-pearl, amber and ivory.
The museum includes several Roman mosaics that look like paintings but are made out of tiny bits of stone; there are also teapots and personal items, many of Asian and European origin. While a good many of the items are for use – whether a bowl, vase or cameo – there are also some that have a religious connotation, such as the jade carved altar set, two Buddhist saints and Guanyin, China’s Buddhist goddess.

There is an amazing depiction of Christ’s Last Supper, created from ivory in Italy. This carving is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s painting.
Included in the museum are gemstones and the gift shop has a neat variety of jewelry to choose from. The museum is an educational place as well as a beautiful one – it shares about the stones and how they are formed into jewelry: “Gemstones can be carved, faceted, tumbled or cabbed. Transparent stones are generally faceted.

“The symmetrical series of planes cut at slightly different angles refracts light and makes the stones sparkle. Opaque gemstones are usually cut as cabochons, which are polished domes with flat or rounded backs. Phenomenal stones that present special effects, such as a star (asterium) in sapphires or a cat’s eye (chatoyancy) in moonstones, are also cut as cabochons.”

As the weather warms up, so will the interest in checking out wonderful sites like this museum. It is located at: 220 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst, IL 60125. Call 630-833-1616 for questions.  It is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. A small admission is charged.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.