FredL

Thanks for the replies. They are thought provoking.

I've been thinking about trying to catagorize trees. Here's what I thought about 5 catagories:

1. National Treasures. There are only a few of these trees in the world; certainly less than 200. They are worth several $100,00 to a few miilion dollars each, and are typically many centuries old and have been in cultivation for at least decades. They are the work of world renowned masters and many of them are recognizable on sight by real bonsai enthusiasts.

2. World Class trees. There are, perhaps, a few thousand of these trees. They have been developed from the finest material, sometimes collected, sometimes bonsai of lesser worth, by world renowned artists, many from Japan. They are displayed at the most prestigious bonsai shows and valued from perhaps $50,000 to several $100,000. They are charactarized by ancient appearing trunks and nebari as well as very well developed branches. They are of highly unusual and interesting appearance and sometimes represent stylistic breakthroughs by the finest artists. A Walter Pall is capable of producing trees in this catagory.

3. Trees of excellent quality. These trees have been developed from very fine material but are a notch below World Class trees. They are valued at a few thousand dollars to, perhaps $50,000. They do not represent stylistic break throughs, but are of very high degrees of craftsmanship and typically represent trees that have been in development for many years or that have been developed from very good material, generally by exceptional artists with a firm grasp of good bonsai technique. They rise to the level of high quality art and are instantly recognizable as high quality art.

4. Trees of good quality. The staple of high end Bonsai Commerce. Commercial level bonsai trees, mass produced by professional bonsai nurseries or trees produced by skilled amatuers or journemen level professionals. Neither exceptional nor possessing any particular originality, but well executed with a good level of craftsmanship. The target for beginning hobbiests. Produced from material of reasonable but unexceptional quality. Valued at a few hundred dollars to, perhaps, $6 or $8,000.

5. Mallasai or Hobbiest trees of low quality. My neighbor, Mrs. "Clip and Grow" has produced a number of these trees. They are also produced in large numbers for the Winter holiday season and sold to, primarily, non-bonsai knowledgable consumers in non-bonsai venues. I think they might be termed "Sub-bonsai Trees" as they do not measure up to a reasonable bonsai minimum standard acceptable to the general Bonsai Community. Most of them would require further development to be considered reasonable starting material by amatuer practitioners with a mastery of basic bonsai techniques. These trees sell, typically, for, perhaps $30 to $40 up to perhaps $200.

My take is that bonsai beginners who have reached a basic understanding of the art will be striving to avoid creating catagory 5 trees and to get their trees into catagory 4. Certainly, that seems to be what I'm trying to do. Generally, material for acceptable trees must have charcaristics or be refined to the point that it is well beyond what is used for catagory 5 trees and is valued in the same range as completed "Sub-bonsai" trees.

Well, there it is, and how I define my own, personal challenge. I doubt that I will get beyond it in my life time or with my level of talent.

Fred