Nick Lenz Pot

[thams]

Please, someone save me from myself and buy this pot before I do. I love Nick Lenz pots, but have no need for this one right now. Consider this a cry for help.

http://www.natureswaybonsai.com/pottery/bonsai-pot-135-nick-lenz

 

[Stan Kengai]

"Nick Lenz pot handmade in Massachusetts with an older, speckled body."

There's an image that won't leave my head.

 

[rockm]

That's pretty vanilla as far as Lenz pots go. Not worth $140 IMO.

 

[rockm]

If you wanna splurge THIS one's pretty cool, but at $400 it ain't cheap
http://www.natureswaybonsai.com/pottery/bonsai-pot-102

 

[Jester217300]

If you wanna splurge THIS one's pretty cool, but at $400 it ain't cheap
http://www.natureswaybonsai.com/pottery/bonsai-pot-102

I really like Gould pots. I only have two so far, a big rectangle and a small irregular. I spent $200 on the big one but $400 is still out of my range, no matter how much I like it.

 

[rockm]

I spent $80 back in 1995 or so commissioning a big 15" diameter glazed drum pot from Don Gould. I thought that was a fortune back then. At the time, he couldn't believe I was ordering such a big pot. "WHAT are you going to put in that?" he asked.

 

[thams]

That's pretty vanilla as far as Lenz pots go. Not worth $140 IMO.

Yeah, I agree. I prefer his bright blue and white speckled glazes. It's just not often that his pot come up for sale so I'm tempted to buy up what I can. The price tag is a little steep for me though.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I spent $80 back in 1995 or so commissioning a big 15" diameter glazed drum pot from Don Gould. I thought that was a fortune back then. At the time, he couldn't believe I was ordering such a big pot. "WHAT are you going to put in that?" he asked.

Was Don killed in a car accident or something? Can't remember.

 

[rockm]

Was Don killed in a car accident or something? Can't remember.

Unfortunately, yes. He was killed back in 2006 when he got out of his car on an on-ramp or something to help someone who had been in a car accident and was hit by another driver passing by who skidded on ice. Sad end.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks, I thought it was something tragic and unexpected. He made very nice pots.

 

[rockm]

Thanks, I thought it was something tragic and unexpected. He made very nice pots.

He made some extremely nice pots, but his later work wasn't as good as his initial efforts. He turned to computer design and forced molding. I had one of those later pots. It was pretty good, but not nearly as full of character as his earlier stuff.

 

[rockm]

FWIW, on Certre's site:
http://www.certre.it/index.php?n_st...stazioni_eventi&argomento=10933&backArg=10930

 

[thams]

I located a stash of Lenz pots and bought up 4 mame and 1 semi-cascade pot - all glazed. I'll post pictures once they come in the mail. Just gotta save a little more to buy up the rest!

 

[rockm]

Wish he was still making stuff like this:


Most of the stuff for sale these days is either small, plain or both.

 

[thams]

Yeah, Pauline Muth said she has some larger glazed ovals that sounded pretty nice, but the smaller ones are more usable for me at this point. She mentioned another bonsai nursery in Springfield, MA that carries Lenz pots. Apparently the owner bought up a bunch of his stuff right before Lenz stopped making pots. She remembers seeing a 46" glazed oval in that shop a while back. That would be a sight to behold.

I honestly don't know what my obsession is with Lenz pots - I'm just really attracted to their aesthetics and uniques glazes.

 

[rockm]

His glazes are okay. It's his illustrated, appliqued, or free form pots that are the standouts (and mostly unaffordable and unavailable).

If you ever find yourself talking to someone on the National Arb's bonsai staff, ask if you can see some of the pots back in their storeroom. They have some unique BIG Lenz pots. One is a 24 inch shallow rectangle with drawings of a healthy conifer forest on one side and clear cut stump field on the other. Truly impressive work. There are others out there with landscapes and tornados.

 

[thams]

His glazes are okay. It's his illustrated, appliqued, or free form pots that are the standouts (and mostly unaffordable and unavailable).

Haha, his glazes are just okay? I agree that not all of his pots are standouts, but I really love the blue/green glazes or the white glazes with hints of purple or blue peeking through. They are just showy enough, but very usable in many tree pairings. Some potters' glazes look amazing on display pots, but are tough to match with trees (or at least they would be for a amateur like me). Lenz pots straddle the line very well. Of course this is only my opinion and I respect differing opinions.

I'm about due for a trip to the Arboretum, so I'll see if I can get a behind the scenes peek. The pots you describe would be really neat to see in person. I think more than anything I just respect what he's done for bonsai in America. I feel like owning his pots is like owning a little piece of American bonsai history.

BTW, is that blue cascade pot you posted yours?

 

[thams]

Just wanted to share 5 new Lenz pots I got in the mail today. Four of them are accent/mame pots and the other is a larger semi-cascade. Some cool glazes in the mix.

 

[thams]

And two more. The last one is the larger semi-cascade.

 

[crust]

Yeah, Pauline Muth said she has some larger glazed ovals that sounded pretty nice, but the smaller ones are more usable for me at this point. She mentioned another bonsai nursery in Springfield, MA that carries Lenz pots. Apparently the owner bought up a bunch of his stuff right before Lenz stopped making pots. She remembers seeing a 46" glazed oval in that shop a while back. That would be a sight to behold.

I honestly don't know what my obsession is with Lenz pots - I'm just really attracted to their aesthetics and uniques glazes.

His sense of proportion in his shapes is outstanding and special --most potters, especially American potters, usually falls short for me, many of there pots lack this subtly and end up dull or boaty.