Bonsai Pots: Painted Pots

Listed here by the potter or artist.

Marufuji

1. Bought for $20.00 on the Facebook 99-Cent Bonsai Auction page. To me it doesn’t look hand painted, but maybe some sort of transfer process. At this price that’s probably correct. Square, flared sides, image on front, wrapping to half-way point on each side. Outside dimensions: 3 13/16″ x 1 7/8″ Square One drainage hole, no tie-down holes. August 2017: I put a small fern in it. New leaves come in sort of bronze-colored. it looks good.

Sensui

1. Hexagon Bought from Michael Ryan Bell for $95.00 at the 2017 ABS Bonsai Show. Made of white clay.  Porcelain? Geometric design (sweeping crossing lines in blue) hand-painted. I see a bit of optical illusion, because the curved lines appear more curved when seen at an angle, as they do on any face not directly in front of the viewer. Cool. Outside dimensions: 4 5/8″ x 1 1/2″ Octagon.

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2. Hexagon. From Michael Ryan Bell for $75.00 on the Facebook Bonsai Auction page. Made of white clay. Hand-painted geometric design: crossing lines in blue (darker blue than the other one). Ryan said that there are theoretically twelve possible fronts, six with a flat side to the front, six with a foot to the front. However, there are really only two basic fronts, because the painting is really consistent. Outside dimensions: ? Hexagon.

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Toho

Round. Bought from Nel Son (Nelson Salabria) on Facebook Bonsai Auctions for $100.00 after the sale failed because the reserve ($115) wasn’t met. I texted him and we struck a deal. From the Auction description: “Hand-painted shohin round from expert craftsman Toho (a student of the great Sano Daisuke). Reaturing a traditional Chojugiga (animal caricatures) motif, very popular in bonsai, and with origins that date back to the 12th/13th century. Limited production is available from Toho as he has hit old age. … Has seen some life in it as well. 3.35″ D x 1.75″ H” One drain hole, three tie-down holes. I think it’s interesting to have three feet, but four figures. Pleasingly contradictory.

Tosui

1. Oval. $85.00 from Ryan Bell at the February ABS meeting in 2015. Gray clay with porcelain band, hand paintedand signed on one end. Outside dimensions: 2 3/4″ x 2 7/8″ x 7/8″ Oval. Two drainage holes.

2. Hexagonal-Round Semi-Cascade, footed. Brown clay. Panels over feet (3) have figures, others have scenes without people. $110.00 on the Facebook 99-Cent Bonsai Auction page, February 2016. This is a thrown round pot, but it has been modified into a hexagon by ribs added to the exterior. Following the hexagon shape, there are three feet. A figural painting appears in each panel over a foot. Outside dimensions: 5 3/8″ diameter of the flared, scalloped top. 3 1/2″ tall. One drainage hole.

3. Round semi-cascade, footed. $55.00 on the Facebook 99-Cent Bonsai Auction page, April 2016. Two lions along side a stream, mountains in the distance, continuing around 3/4 of the exterior. Signed in the space between the end and beginning of the scene. Outside dimensions: 4 5/8″ x 2 1/2″ Round One drainage hole.

4. Oval, footed. Third-generation Tosui. $60.00 on Facebook 99-cent Auction page from Pet Bak September 2017. Outside dimensions:  3 13/16″ x 3 3/16″ x 1 3/4″ Two drainage holes.

Unknown Artist

This one might not be actually painted, because it’s terribly blurry. But it doesn’t really look like a transfer job either. But it is made of white clay and is carefully glazed in the right places, and there’s a signature or pottery name on the bottom. It’s cute. Outside dimensions: 1 7/8″ x 1 5/8″ Round Cascade. One drainage hole. (Must not have been made as a toothpick holder after all.)

“Shallow oval pot with painted scenery.” That’s the only description on 99 cent Bonsai when I bought this one. $40.00 from Jas Pate, with a Pensacola zip code. 5 1/2″ x 4 5/8″ x 1″ Two drainage holes, no tie-down holes.