bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - What Sand For Display Of Suiseki In A Suiban ??

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bonsaial1
[B]I make bonsai tables. I make lots of bonsai tables. I have given some away and I have sold some. In almost every case, except the ones that were given away on bonsaiTALK or sold over the internet, the person recieving the stand will invarably turn it over and inspect the bottom. I have no idea why.

When someone turns over a stand , are they expecting to find it unfinished or unsanded there? A bonsai is designed to be seen from one angle and one angle only. A bonsai stand is to be exhibited always standing on its legs, not displayed with its undersides all exposed for the world to see.

Al,
This is an interesting observation. I watch people ( including me) do this with hand-made bonsai pots a lot.
Why do I do it?
As an artist I do it to see how nicely the bottom is finished/trimmed , how nice feet are cut, etc. Basically, did the artist spend as much time finishing his work on the bottom as on top. ( BTW, my pot bottoms are real nice! :>)
But, many people do it to see who signed it, ( or if it has a kanji stamp even though they have no idea what it says!) not how well it's made. I guess I'd have to consider that "name dropping" in a fashion, they don't really care about the finished product...just WHO made it!
As a potter, I fight this all the time and have in a few instances given people pots off my shelves to carry around and compare things I point out for them to observe.

What does this all mean?? I dunno? :>)

as a side anecdote:
in 1997 I vended carving tools at the 3rd World Bonsai convention in Seoul, Korea ( The only non-korean I'll ad) . After the convention I walked lots around Seoul, and in a jewelry store, on the floor under a shelf, I saw a great "cut" mountain stone collecting dust bunnies. I asked the guy how much? He said $35 and the next sound heard was my wallet "whishing" out of my pocket.
35 pounds !!!!....hand carried through customes/transfers on way home.

I gave it to Art Skolnik to carve me a daiza. He had it FOR A YEAR! I bugged him about it every time I saw him.
When I finally got it back, the bottom of the daiza had " B.L.T.N." carved in the bottom...
I asked what the hell was that!!??
.
.
.
.
"Better Late Than Never"!!!

Now, NO ONE would appreciate that bottom like I do!

Dale

29-Jul-2004	#24
Dale Cochoy Old Bonsaiman-new pots Join Date: Dec-2002 Location: Hartville, Ohio Country: USA USDA Zone: 5 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 2,679	[QUOTE]Originally posted by bonsaial1 [B]I make bonsai tables. I make lots of bonsai tables. I have given some away and I have sold some. In almost every case, except the ones that were given away on bonsaiTALK or sold over the internet, the person recieving the stand will invarably turn it over and inspect the bottom. I have no idea why. When someone turns over a stand , are they expecting to find it unfinished or unsanded there? A bonsai is designed to be seen from one angle and one angle only. A bonsai stand is to be exhibited always standing on its legs, not displayed with its undersides all exposed for the world to see. Al, This is an interesting observation. I watch people ( including me) do this with hand-made bonsai pots a lot. Why do I do it? As an artist I do it to see how nicely the bottom is finished/trimmed , how nice feet are cut, etc. Basically, did the artist spend as much time finishing his work on the bottom as on top. ( BTW, my pot bottoms are real nice! :>) But, many people do it to see who signed it, ( or if it has a kanji stamp even though they have no idea what it says!) not how well it's made. I guess I'd have to consider that "name dropping" in a fashion, they don't really care about the finished product...just WHO made it! As a potter, I fight this all the time and have in a few instances given people pots off my shelves to carry around and compare things I point out for them to observe. What does this all mean?? I dunno? :>) as a side anecdote: in 1997 I vended carving tools at the 3rd World Bonsai convention in Seoul, Korea ( The only non-korean I'll ad) . After the convention I walked lots around Seoul, and in a jewelry store, on the floor under a shelf, I saw a great "cut" mountain stone collecting dust bunnies. I asked the guy how much? He said $35 and the next sound heard was my wallet "whishing" out of my pocket. 35 pounds !!!!....hand carried through customes/transfers on way home. I gave it to Art Skolnik to carve me a daiza. He had it FOR A YEAR! I bugged him about it every time I saw him. When I finally got it back, the bottom of the daiza had " B.L.T.N." carved in the bottom... I asked what the hell was that!!?? . . . . "Better Late Than Never"!!! Now, NO ONE would appreciate that bottom like I do! Dale __________________ ________________________________ If you want to be Different.... You have to DO something Different! __________________________________________ Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time.... but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again... ____________________________________________ Dale Cochoy Wild Things Bonsai Studio Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery Hartville, Ohio