This 10'' x 14'' rendering of the Liberty Bell, completed in 2001 by members of the Tuscarora Lapidary Society (TLS) of Media, PA, consists of 142 pieces of gemstone material including petrified wood, jade, jasper, blue lace agate, tigereye and serpentine.  

The Liberty Bell intarsia was begun by a group of TLS members in 1983.  However, the challenge of finding gemstone material with which to represent the Liberty Bell was substantial, and that difficulty eventually brought the initial effort to a halt. Seventeen years later the "bell" project was rediscovered. With a renewed interest in intarsia among TLS members, it was decided to try again. A committee was formed in the spring of 2000. Photos were taken, sketches and water color renderings were made. The observation that a green patina was the true shade in certain light turned out to be the key to solving the problem that the original committee faced. A wonderful selection of greens was available in jasper, and jade. A selection of these two materials gave the committee the opportunity to render the body of the bell with appropriate shading that creates a three dimensional effect. The central highlight is portrayed by a piece of Imperial Jasper.  

Several large slabs of petrified wood from Washington state, donated by Gilman's of Hellertown, PA, turned out to be perfect for the yoke. These slabs have great shading, surface flaws that simulate the flaws in the real wood of the yoke, and were large enough that the yoke could be constructed just three pieces. Blue lace agate was chosen for the sky, brown jasper and tigereye for the metal pieces including the nuts and bolts that attach the bell to the yoke. "Nevada lapis" (pink and green thulite) simulating trees or bushes was used below the skyline and a pale green serpentine was used at the lower edges of the bell and along the bottom. The crack and clapper are made of black jade. Most of the material was donated by club members. 

A photo of the Liberty Bell was imported into a graphics design program, traced and used as background for the project pattern. The pattern was printed on a laser printer, cut apart, and glued to slabs of gemstone material which varied from 1/8" to 1/4" thick. The patterns were coated with clear acrylic or nail polish to protect them during the cutting and grinding operations. For the first stage of cutting, these pieces of gemstone material with the patterns attached were given to TLS members for grinding to within 1/32" of the pattern boundary. This border provided room that was needed for final fitting adjustments. A small group of TLS members were responsible for the final fitting and assembly of the intarsia. "Grind a little -- check a lot" was the motto at the final stage.