Difference between Cheap and Expensive Pots

[Bonsai Nut]

I certainly understand the gist of this, but since Hanes is my go to, it is the one I most recognize as a brand name. I don't recall ever owning anything made by Nike.

And some old Japanese and Chinese pots may not be marked, or the marking is obscured. The pot sells on its own merit, without any knowledge of the original artist. It is visually apparent that it is both high quality, and extremely old. It is very difficult to fake age in ceramics, though many people try.

 

[hinmo24t]

good points in here. im nearing the stage where a lot of my stuff can go into ceramic pot and i have begun buying some cheaper ones.
i think the disparity between prices, regardless of other characteristics, make it a tough sell in todays economy -and forecasted economy.

im pretty sure you could have about 7 cheaper pots for the cost of one high end pot (or $150 example compared to $20 i used here)
suspect each cheaper pot may last two years before freeze claims them, well the ROI would be 14 years before reaching the cost of the $150 pot.
not to mention a lot of trees will need a larger size pot after the 2 years before a cheap one breaks.

when you factor quantity of trees, say over 10 or 20, it is a tough sell for a lot of people to justify the math $3,000 + worth of good pots.
discretionary spending, job security (public vs private), IRA and 401k vs pensioned out vesting after 10 years and full 75%
in public pension after i think 18 or 20 years ('retire' at 45 for latter) all come into play in terms of income stability

i appreciate the quality art pots and durability, attractiveness, and plan to get some.
but not to the tune of 7 times more expensive than cheaper ones in this terrible economy and world economy.

i want to get into terracotta shallow pots in the future, and figure most my trees overwinter in cold garage with little waterings,
is going to be worth looknig into.
im buying these soon, about $1.15 each:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085B3TN3G/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_3?smid=A1BWJKI48FM7UV&psc=1

and have enjoyed these for the 6 mos i have had them
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097PZSS6...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=


run unit prices on my last link, into the top of my post, and you actually compound it all out 3 times more than my example too.




just food for thought!!!!

my first real pots will be @sorce pots if anything




have a good day (la beast)

 

[hinmo24t]

I certainly understand the gist of this, but since Hanes is my go to, it is the one I most recognize as a brand name. I don't recall ever owning anything made by Nike.

f Nike. the only thing i love about Nike is their slogan. the slogan is one of my favorites, but i cant stand that company
always seeing color and projecting

 

[sorce]

Someone should start an App where you can rent pots, put all your pots up and make some side $.

This way our shows are better.

Sorce

 

[leatherback]

Someone should start an App where you can rent pots, put all your pots up and make some side $.

I would be very concerned with doing that. People are not carefull enough, breaking things and stuff.

 

[Pitoon]

I would be very concerned with doing that. People are not carefull enough, breaking things and stuff.

You rent out a nice pot......it may not come back home.

 

[rockm]

I wanna actually see that thin rectangle. That's nice.

Sorce

The thin rectangle with the drippy brown glaze? That's a 90's pot made by Bryan Albright. It's one of my favorites and has BIG drain holes, which helps with such a low-profile pot (which tend to hold onto a lot of water)

 

[rockm]

And some old Japanese and Chinese pots may not be marked, or the marking is obscured. The pot sells on its own merit, without any knowledge of the original artist. It is visually apparent that it is both high quality, and extremely old. It is very difficult to fake age in ceramics, though many people try.

I have a couple of "anonymous" new slip molded Tokoname pots. Got them in San Francisco at Soko Hardware in Japantown about 25 years ago. They're close to "mass produced" but the clay and construction are excellent.

Soko Hardware

www.sokohardware.com

 

[Shogun610]

Eventually you’ll determine what potters you like , and what mass production pots you like. You’ll eventually learn what quality is in those categories… I have Japanese and American Pot/Potters I like some may not like or see function in what I see….It all depends dawg……

 

[rockm]

good points in here. im nearing the stage where a lot of my stuff can go into ceramic pot and i have begun buying some cheaper ones.
i think the disparity between prices, regardless of other characteristics, make it a tough sell in todays economy -and forecasted economy.

im pretty sure you could have about 7 cheaper pots for the cost of one high end pot (or $150 example compared to $20 i used here)
suspect each cheaper pot may last two years before freeze claims them, well the ROI would be 14 years before reaching the cost of the $150 pot.
not to mention a lot of trees will need a larger size pot after the 2 years before a cheap one breaks.

when you factor quantity of trees, say over 10 or 20, it is a tough sell for a lot of people to justify the math $3,000 + worth of good pots.
discretionary spending, job security (public vs private), IRA and 401k vs pensioned out vesting after 10 years and full 75%
in public pension after i think 18 or 20 years ('retire' at 45 for latter) all come into play in terms of income stability

i appreciate the quality art pots and durability, attractiveness, and plan to get some.
but not to the tune of 7 times more expensive than cheaper ones in this terrible economy and world economy.

i want to get into terracotta shallow pots in the future, and figure most my trees overwinter in cold garage with little waterings,
is going to be worth looknig into.
im buying these soon, about $1.15 each:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085B3TN3G/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_3?smid=A1BWJKI48FM7UV&psc=1

and have enjoyed these for the 6 mos i have had them
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097PZSS6...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=


run unit prices on my last link, into the top of my post, and you actually compound it all out 3 times more than my example too.




just food for thought!!!!

my first real pots will be @sorce pots if anything




have a good day (la beast)

Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. Yeah, cheap pots have their place, but like you have said you buy them five or six times. High-end pricing is not all about dollars, or at least the immediate expense. If you buy decent functional pots by capable potters (who understand bonsai), there are some intangibles at work as well. I thought high end pots were a bunch of hype when I began. However, seeing some in person changed my mind...I went to Chase Rosade's place in the mid-90's and saw what he had in his studio's "pot room." Was pretty much dumfounded...I bought pots by Peter Krebs and Bryan Albright (the pic I posted has a couple of those). The wife wasn't pleased ;-) I had no trees worthy of them at the time. Those pots have appreciated in character and in price...I have also found I can now use them with some of the trees I have been developing for years.

Don't discount getting a good high-end pot even if you don't have a tree to go in it. It's a long game...

 

[Pitoon]

A lot of good points have been pointed out. You really have to get your hands on both so you can see and feel the differences between a quality pot and a cheap mass produced pot.

While pricing on bonsai pots is both objective and subjective it does take a lot of time, skill, and equipment to make quality pots. Potters should be compensated appropriately for quality pots that could literally last centuries if not longer if properly cared for.

Most importantly, what is expensive for you may not be for me and vice versa.

 

[rockm]

Someone should start an App where you can rent pots, put all your pots up and make some side $.

This way our shows are better.

Sorce

They do that to some extent in Japan, from what I understand, BUT the people renting those extremely high end pots know how to handle them and can be trusted. I wouldn't rent any of my pots out for fear of extreme damage and theft. I have, however, lent a few and even given a few away to bonsai friends I've had for years. Another reason to join a club or some kind of group--they have pots they're probably not using...

 

[sorce]

Just charge a deposit.

The real point is...

Even a non frost proof pot can be unpotted for winter.

I think it's more important to match a tree proper than worry about the pot, just adjust care.

Truth though that most of the good pots to pair will be well made and Frost proof.

I'm trying to photograph some new stuff for this sale ending Saturday. Rain rain go away.

Sorce

 

[Pitoon]

Just charge a deposit.

The real point is...

Even a non frost proof pot can be unpotted for winter.

I think it's more important to match a tree proper than worry about the pot, just adjust care.

Truth though that most of the good pots to pair will be well made and Frost proof.

I'm trying to photograph some new stuff for this sale ending Saturday. Rain rain go away.

Sorce

Sometimes you like something so much you can say........keep the deposit, lol

 

[Forsoothe!]

It takes some time before a tree merits a nicer pot, and you buy them one at a time. Over time you build a stable with some Fords and a few Cadillac's and trees cycle through from junkers to the top ranks. Someone too new to understand the differences in pots usually doesn't own trees worthy of the best pots anyway, so that learning curve just comes along with the rest of bonsai learning. Putting a $50 tree into a $125 pot is no more appropriate than putting a $300 tree into a $25 pot.

 

[rockm]

The thin rectangle with the drippy brown glaze? That's a 90's pot made by Bryan Albright. It's one of my favorites and has BIG drain holes, which helps with such a low-profile pot (which tend to hold onto a lot of water)

If you're talking about the thin rectangle underneath it with the sword corners, that's a Chinese made Yixing pot. It's one of the best Chinese-made pots I've got. Had it for a long time. The big cream colored oval is also Chinese, but its 70's era production and pretty good quality. It was imported along with a big Natal Fig back in the 1980's. My mom had it for 35 years. The patina on it has developed in the U.S.

 

[namnhi]

good points in here. im nearing the stage where a lot of my stuff can go into ceramic pot and i have begun buying some cheaper ones.
i think the disparity between prices, regardless of other characteristics, make it a tough sell in todays economy -and forecasted economy.

im pretty sure you could have about 7 cheaper pots for the cost of one high end pot (or $150 example compared to $20 i used here)
suspect each cheaper pot may last two years before freeze claims them, well the ROI would be 14 years before reaching the cost of the $150 pot.
not to mention a lot of trees will need a larger size pot after the 2 years before a cheap one breaks.

when you factor quantity of trees, say over 10 or 20, it is a tough sell for a lot of people to justify the math $3,000 + worth of good pots.
discretionary spending, job security (public vs private), IRA and 401k vs pensioned out vesting after 10 years and full 75%
in public pension after i think 18 or 20 years ('retire' at 45 for latter) all come into play in terms of income stability

i appreciate the quality art pots and durability, attractiveness, and plan to get some.
but not to the tune of 7 times more expensive than cheaper ones in this terrible economy and world economy.

i want to get into terracotta shallow pots in the future, and figure most my trees overwinter in cold garage with little waterings,
is going to be worth looknig into.
im buying these soon, about $1.15 each:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085B3TN3G/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_3?smid=A1BWJKI48FM7UV&psc=1

and have enjoyed these for the 6 mos i have had them
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097PZSS6...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=


run unit prices on my last link, into the top of my post, and you actually compound it all out 3 times more than my example too.




just food for thought!!!!

my first real pots will be @sorce pots if anything




have a good day (la beast)

Thanks for the link. Feel like the pots in the 38 pot lot are a bit small but should be good for smaller trees that I will be growing.
NN

 

[hinmo24t]

Thanks for the link. Feel like the pots in the 38 pot lot are a bit small but should be good for smaller trees that I will be growing.
NN

no problem. i just ordered them as well

 

[hinmo24t]

another cheap pot idea is tea cups

this youtuber AS Bonsai i found recently drills out japanese or chinese tea cups for his little maples

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCheIJ2YOC9ixKaLtJcoKkxA/videos

https://www.amazon.com/VNASNST-Handmade-Chinese-Japanese-porcelain/dp/B08RZC2WHV/ref=sr_1_40?crid=HPOD44EKYEFS&dchild=1&keywords=japanese+tea+cups&qid=1633704372&sprefix=japanese+tea%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-40

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

a little bit like asking "what's the difference between a chair bought at IKEA and a handmade walnut chair built by a renowned furniture craftsman" - particularly if the later costs 10x as much. After all, you can sit in both(?)

Oh boy, do I have stories! I worked in antiques for almost a decade. Hand crafted chairs can and will destroy your spine and they've rarely been made with ergonomics in mind. Ikea furniture is so, so much better.

I think quality matters. I have some seriously high quality mass produced pots that could go for 'handmade'.
If the quality is high, and they look nice.. I don't really care that they're made by the millions.
Also, I know a whole load of crappy potters that have been doing pottery for decades. They sell their pots and works for serious dough, but one little freeze and the money and tree are down the drain.

For Europeans: bonsaishop.de has pretty high quality pots that come from molds. They're priced fair in my view. Edit: and they also sell handmade.