$1400 for a Bonasi!

[rockm]

i've been meaning to ask about this sort of thing as well- pricing. i recently made my first field trip to an actual bonsai nursery. they had some really awesome specimens, but this one stuck out to me as "approachable."

View attachment 322597

View attachment 322598

and then i saw the $975 price tag. i'll be the first to admit, i'm very new to this, but i was baffled. any insight into how this price was reached? about 18" high, about 7" pot.

i did walk away with this little $20 chinese elm though! about 7" high, 4" pot.

View attachment 322599

With higher pricing, you're paying for time and effort--either by the owner, or the tree. Time means thicker, more character in bark or overall appearance. With black pine that means budding and needles and branches close to the trunk on branches with some ramification. Thicker trunks, more developed nebari, etc. That particular black pine with the $950 price tag is a bit steep for such a straight trunk with inverse taper issues IMO... The tree on the main thread is on the expensive side (IMO), but I don't know what the availability of established black pine bonsai is around Dallas. Supply and demand can play a big role in pricing too. You also have to know where to look and who is selling stuff. That info can lead to some very interesting stuff, but developing those contacts takes time too.

 

[Paradox]

most casual enthusiasts will be quick to say its far too much for a tree because most casual enthusiasts will rarely spend over $50.
$175-$300 what trees have you bought at that price? do you have pics
only asking out of curiousity..

JBP at the lower end of your price range as purchased:


JBP at the higher end of your price range as purchased:

 

[augustine]

Nice tree, too much money. I’d shop around if I had $1400 to spend.

At this time considering economics I would call around to some of the better nurseries and tell them you’re looking for a nice JBP and have 750 to 1000 to spend. I’m sure there are pros that would like the money right now.

 

[BobbyLane]

JBP at the lower end of your price range as purchased:
View attachment 322640

JBP at the higher end of your price range as purchased:
View attachment 322641 View attachment 322639

£225 which is around $295
for this big fat lump of Zelkova wood


my point is, folk who will rarely spend over $50 will be quick to have a moan over expensive bonsai trees.

how much will my zelkova be worth in 5 years, how much is it worth now...

bought like this


for me bonsai is an investment, if i cant buy it, develop it and sell for a profit then its a no from me. so re the tree in first post, i know nothing about pines, but i cant see much of a roof for major improvement, will it be worth much more than what i paid for it after a few years work i doubt it.

hobby and investment is how i see my bonsai.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I bought a $650 collected Ponderosa, and lost it 2 years later due to mistakes I made. Once every two or three years, I allow myself to buy one tree in the "under $500" price range. In order to do this I quit doing the once a month $20 to $50 nursery crawl. Stop buying so much cheap junk, save your pennies, and you will be able to afford better material.

My last big purchases were $450 and $150 on imported Satsuki azaleas. Both were 2018. Have not made any recent purchases. Will do again in another year or two.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The pine in the OP, to my eye is over priced, but not outrageously overpriced. Older material, with aged bark is going to cost. Would I buy it? No, but at a lower price I might be interested. It's not a bad tree. In other words, there's no fraud going on. Everything wrong with the tree can be fixed.

 

[BobbyLane]

material with great potential can be bought from nurserys, the trouble many have is they only look for a 'bargain'.
Walter pall has outstanding trees developed from nursery material.

this cost me £70 from a wholesale nursery


how much is it worth now


spend a few dollars more, buy something worthwhile that can be developed into something even more worthwhile, you will get your money back or have something to cherish for a long long time. the above trees are priceless to me.

 

[jaco94]

A few years ago, I absolutely wanted a black pine in my little collection.
Problem, they were very difficult to find and the day I saw one in a specialty store I jumped on it.
It is the law of supply and demand which directly influences the price, with hindsight I realized that this tree was awful with enormous defects:
Terrible Nebari, positioning of the branches in the shape of a totem pole, no branch at the back to give depth ...
Today, if I saw this tree even for half the price I paid back then ($ 300), I would run away.
In short , when you're in a hurry to buy, you become a very bad buyer.
Here it is

 

[Mikecheck123]

"You will not find a tree of this caliber for this price anywhere. "

BONSAI JAPANESE BLACK PINE - general for sale - by owner

I have decided to sell my favorite Japanese Black Pine. I have been working with this tree since...

austin.craigslist.org

You could really take that two ways....

 

[Mikecheck123]

There was a guy on Craigslist last year trying to offload some trees as part of an estate sale. They were about a hundred years old, but they looked pretty similar to the pic here. The guy was asking between $30,000 and $75,000 for each one.

 

[Mr. Bonsai]

Apparently the seller has been trying to sell this particular tree since 2015.

JBP For Sale in DFW Area

Anyone in the DFW area that might be interested in a nice JBP semi cascade bonsai, I have it listed now on Craigslist DFW. Here's the link in case anyone is interested. http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/for/4834219201.html

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Dav4]

Apparently the seller has been trying to sell this particular tree since 2015.

JBP For Sale in DFW Area

Anyone in the DFW area that might be interested in a nice JBP semi cascade bonsai, I have it listed now on Craigslist DFW. Here's the link in case anyone is interested. http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/for/4834219201.html

www.bonsainut.com

Different tree...

 

[jaco94]

Apparently the seller has been trying to sell this particular tree since 2015.

JBP For Sale in DFW Area

Anyone in the DFW area that might be interested in a nice JBP semi cascade bonsai, I have it listed now on Craigslist DFW. Here's the link in case anyone is interested. http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/for/4834219201.html

www.bonsainut.com

 

[JoeR]

material with great potential can be bought from nurserys, the trouble many have is they only look for a 'bargain'.
Walter pall has outstanding trees developed from nursery material.

this cost me £70 from a wholesale nursery
View attachment 322665

how much is it worth now
View attachment 322666

spend a few dollars more, buy something worthwhile that can be developed into something even more worthwhile, you will get your money back or have something to cherish for a long long time. the above trees are priceless to me.

Woah that pot is nice too! Who's the maker?

 

[Mikecheck123]

£225 which is around $295
for this big fat lump of Zelkova wood
View attachment 322655

my point is, folk who will rarely spend over $50 will be quick to have a moan over expensive bonsai trees.

how much will my zelkova be worth in 5 years, how much is it worth now...

bought like this
View attachment 322658

for me bonsai is an investment, if i cant buy it, develop it and sell for a profit then its a no from me. so re the tree in first post, i know nothing about pines, but i cant see much of a roof for major improvement, will it be worth much more than what i paid for it after a few years work i doubt it.

hobby and investment is how i see my bonsai.

One of the more underappreciated skills of bonsai experts is landing killer deals.

 

[BobbyLane]

One of the more underappreciated skills of bonsai experts is landing killer deals.

first n foremost is the potential of the material, then if i can get it for a good price then thats a bonus. some are just buying material because it has a 3 for $10 sticker on it.

@JoeR its an Erin pot

 

[Paradox]

£225 which is around $295
for this big fat lump of Zelkova wood
View attachment 322655

my point is, folk who will rarely spend over $50 will be quick to have a moan over expensive bonsai trees.

how much will my zelkova be worth in 5 years, how much is it worth now...

bought like this
View attachment 322658

for me bonsai is an investment, if i cant buy it, develop it and sell for a profit then its a no from me. so re the tree in first post, i know nothing about pines, but i cant see much of a roof for major improvement, will it be worth much more than what i paid for it after a few years work i doubt it.

hobby and investment is how i see my bonsai.

My point is that you can buy a much better tree for around $300 than that one listed for $1400.
My lower end JBP has about the same size trunk but a lot more interesting movement.

One of the trees in at the higher end after some development, wire and needle thinning:
This is a much better tree than the tree in question and its no where near worth $1400.

 

[Adair M]

My point is that you can buy a much better tree for around $300 than that one listed for $1400.
My lower end JBP has about the same size trunk but a lot more interesting movement.

One of the trees in at the higher end after some development, wire and needle thinning:
This is a much better tree than the tree in question and its no where near worth $1400.
View attachment 322720

Oh, my! Someone needs to work on their wiring skills!

 

[coh]

Oh, my! Someone needs to work on their wiring skills!

Uh oh! Batten down the hatches! Rough seas ahead!

 

[Paradox]

Oh, my! Someone needs to work on their wiring skills!

yes I know. At least I attempted to wire the damn thing and I used copper.