Jim Barrett Kusamono "Eggshell" Pots

[Brian Underwood]

Here are a few of the eggshell pots I recently had made by Jim Barrett. I absolutely LOVE his pottery. He puts so much detail and care into them, and they are actually affordable! The pots I ordered are mostly browns, greens, and blues, with varying textures such as woven reed, chain link, and waves. I plan to put some of the rarer miniature hosta, sedum, and other accents in them for the ebay store (with the best saved for myself of course ). Well, enjoy. -=Brian=-

 

[reddog]

I have a handful of his pots and like his work. The glaze on these however have too high a sheen for my taste. I prefer a matte finish. Just my own opinion.

 

[Attila Soos]

I have a handful of his pots and like his work. The glaze on these however have too high a sheen for my taste. I prefer a matte finish. Just my own opinion.

I feel the same way, I much more prefer the low-glaze finish. Jim is great, though, he is one of the most interesting and knowledgeable bonsai masters I've ever met. I love to talk with him about pots, he is a treasure to behold.

 

[Brian Underwood]

I agree with you about matte finish being more preferable. Though with my current photo setup, the pictures came out WAY more shiny than in person. Do you think they are still appropriate for displaying hosta? Thanks for the comments, I will try to order some dull finish glazes next time.

 

[rockm]

I think these are perfectly in line for flowering accent plants, hosta in particular.

Matte finishes are great--for bonsai--but accents which are meant to be a foil to the more somber bonsai, should have glazes that draw the eye. They provide contrast and context to a display.

Take a look here at some of the weird glazes and forms Horst Heinzlereiter uses:
http://www.hhpots.com/versandb.html

 

[Attila Soos]

I agree with you about matte finish being more preferable. Though with my current photo setup, the pictures came out WAY more shiny than in person. Do you think they are still appropriate for displaying hosta? Thanks for the comments, I will try to order some dull finish glazes next time.

As Rockm said, those pots are perfect for any accent plant.

By the way, the pots by Horst Heinzlereiter show a glaze that is more subdued than the glaze on Jim's pots. That is what I prefer.

As you've said, it may be that the pictures you took, somewhat exagerate the shiny surfaces. But I remember seing those pots at the shohin convention, and they seemed just a tad too shiny for me, otherwise I would have bought a few myself. I always buy a pot or two Jim, whenever I have a chance.

But here is something that should be considered: if you start using those pots, I suspect that the patina caused by the exposure to the elements (sun, daily watering, etc) will give the siny surface a more silky appearance. The aging of the pots will improve them considerably. So, just keep them in use, and the "brand new" look will diminish.

 

[Yamadori]

You can also patina the pots with glass etching cream. Ang3lFire had a thread about that.

 

[Brian Underwood]

Wow, thank you all for the information. It is always helpful to get feedback, especially when trying to run a small business. I always take suggestions into account, and the items I have for sale reflect that. I will post some new pictures when I have more Hosta in stock, and in the JB pots. Thanks again, -=Brian=-

 

[rockm]

"You can also patina the pots with glass etching cream. Ang3lFire had a thread about that."

Yeah, unless you have glazes that are impervious to the cream. Tried the idea out on a big Chinese glazed pot. Stuff didn't make a dent in it. In fact, it made it SHINIER...

If you want a treat go here:
http://danbartonbonsaipots.wordpress.com/

 

[Yamadori]

Rock, that is interesting that it made it shinier. It must have acted like a polish. Did you rub it a bunch or let it sit?

I also would think twice before I would alter a Jim Barrett pot as quickly as I would alter a no-name Chinese pot. There is a difference in the artistry. I see the pottery on Antiques Road Show, and etching a famous potters work could kill the long term collectable value. On the other hand, enjoying a pot with a soft patina on a daily basis has immediate value.

 

[rockm]

The paste seemed to act like a window cleaner on the pot. I let it sit for the times noted on the container, then doubled, and tripled them after seeing little result. Also, if you're trying to "age" a larger pot, like over 7 inches long or so, be prepared to pay dearly for enough paste to do the job. I used an entire container on a single side of a 18 inch pot.