Antioch Lapidary Club
A brief
history: The Antioch
Lapidary Club was founded in 1955 by a small group of individuals
who shared the same interests in collecting gems, minerals and
fossils, and who enjoyed working with these materials to create art
forms, carvings, and cabochons.
The
club's logo is designed from a single piece of Antioch Petrified
Wood that was found in the vicinity of then Delta Memorial Hospital
in Antioch. It has stood for the club and for the vast amount of
petrified wood that can still be found in the Antioch area.
The
Antioch Lapidary Club is a non-profit organization that belongs to
the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, the American
Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the North Bay Field Trips
(where members can participate in field trips for rough gems,
minerals, rocks,
fossils and more).
Current number of members: 45
Who is eligible to join?
Everyone.
Minors 17 and below must have a
parent or guardian as a member of the club.
What are the
dues? Membership initiation
is a one-time
fee of $10.00 per member. The club's regular dues are $24.00/year
for the first person in
the family and $12.00/year for each
family member thereafter. Senior dues (age 62+) are $20.00/year per
person,
and $12.00/year for each family member
thereafter. Junior dues (17 and under) are $12.00.
What is the club's mission?
To educate and to enhance members'
skills
in
the lapidary arts - to cut, polish, slab, tumble, sphere and collect
specimens of the earth's minerals. To provide opportunities to
purchase, exchange, and exhibit materials and works by members. To
share their specimens and knowledge with the public through its
museum. To promote interest in lapidary arts and in earth science
studies.
How does the club fulfill its mission?
The club has
monthly meetings and special programs.
The club also encourages
members to use its workshop, including hands-on training by
instructors, classes and seminars.
Members attend and participate
in local and statewide events and hold a yearly public show.
Fundraisers and projects:
The Antioch Lapidary Club will host its
annual Jewelry, Rock and Gem Show from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
February 20'" & 21 S'at the Contra Costa Fairgrounds, 10'" and L
streets. There will be exhibits, demonstrations, dealers, a wheel of
fortune, food, door prizes, grab bags, gems, faceted stones, rocks,
slabs, silent auction, fossils, lapidary art displays, findings,
tools, and family fun for everyone. Parking is free. Admission is
$5.00 per person, children under 12 free,
scouts in uniform and military
free. For more information regarding this event, call Show Chair
Brenda Miguel at (925) 301-6957.
The
club also holds a "Tailgate/Swap Meet" every June in their clubhouse
parking lot. People come from all around to set up tables and sell
or swap jewelry, rock slabs, equipment, etc.
What sets this club apart?
The lapidary club classifies
itself
as the "Home of Antioch Petrified Wood"
- a local landmark. The club has
established a cutting and polishing lab where club members can use
the equipment for a small fee of $2.00 and can learn from the many
years of experience acquired by the senior members. The club also
has a silversmith shop for members to use to work on making jewelry.
Meeting times and location:
The club meets on the 2nd Thursday of
each month at their clubhouse located at 425 Fulton Shipyard Road in
Antioch.
The Board/Business
meeting is held 6:30-7:15 p.m.; the Program meeting is held
7:30-9:00 p.m.
During the program meeting they have a speaker, demonstrator, or
video presentation. Everyone is welcome
to attend both meetings.
Our
Cabochon Shop is open Mondays 9:00 a.m. to noon, Tuesday nights 6:00-9:00
p.m.
and Thursday nights 6:00-9:00 p.m. On meeting
nights, it is open 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Our
Silver Shop is open Mondays 9:00 a.m. to noon and Thursday nights
6:00-9:00 p.m. On meeting nights,
it is open 4:00-7:00
p.m.
Application form is under links
here!
THE GARY
COGGLIA
MUSEUM
1994 Opened
Early member, Gary Cogglia looked at an unused
area of the workshop and saw a museum—it just hadn’t been built yet!
He envisioned a place where the Club where
school kids, Scouts, and others in the community could come to learn
about rocks and enjoy seeing rocks and minerals from around the
world. Together Club members created this valuable resource that now
contains countless specimens from Gary’s own collection,
gifts and loans from other rock hounds. Don’t miss the remarkable
case of butterflies and bugs—all made out of stone using lapidary
techniques and created by long-time member Charlie Taylor.
The Museum is open by appointment only. To
request a visit, call (925) 864-6428.
Rock Shop
The club has a full equipped lapidary shop.
With large and trim saws
With grinding and polishing and other lapidary
equipment.
With many people knowledgeable in there use
