Chinese Tools And Pots

frzz56

- are Chinese tools a good value?
- what about Chinese ceramic pots?

Advertisement

Tony

Chinese tools aren't a good value. They just aren't machined properly and don't stay sharp and they won't really do the job they are intended to do. Chinese pots are ok but they are generally fired at lower temperatures than Japanese pots and crack easier. You'll have problems with them cracking if you have alot of freezing and thawing through the winter.

Tony

TreeBay

Tony is right, but I should say:

Antique Chinese bonsai pots are the most sought-after and expensive in the bonsai market. It's my understanding that one reason for this, aside from their scarcity, is that the clays used to create those pots simply don't exist any longer. These antique pots are so valuable that they are typically only used for exhibition, and not for day-to-day growing.

The Chinese pots imported today are often produced in wood fired kilns with hand-applied glazes, so they have a rustic appearance that may suit some trees very well. As Tony says, they generally are more prone to breakage from handling and frost.

I saw some of these pots for sale in Japan, and they were actually priced at a premium. I wonder if it is because of the tarriff situation on imports there.

Korean pots have come onto the market recently and are probably also worth considering.

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

Tony

Yeah, that's right Matt. Some of those old Chinese pots are high quality and high dollar. I kind of got the feeling he/she was asking about the pots they are churning out these days.

Tony

rockm

There are excellent quality Chinese pots and crummy Chinese pots out there.

The excellent ones are very, very good. Primarily made by kilns in Yixing, China, these pots are equal to Tokoname in quality. In fact, the Japanese contract the yixing kilns for import production. These heavy pots are generally made with unglazed, buff, grey or brown clay. The designs are crisply executed with attention to details--alot of drain holes, straight lines, level interiors, etc. They are frost hardy and don't crack. These are beginning to show up more in the U.S. these days.

The lower quality Chinese pots tend to be glazed and made with softer, yellowish clays. They also tend to have only two drainage holes, sit unevenly or have uneven bottoms that collect water.

Dale Cochoy

ROCKM ( BTW who are you?) is right on. There are excellent Chinese made pots now and HUGE excellent made ones to boot!
and
they still do make cheap junk BTW
and
you still see the new pots made from old antique mold shapes and glazes ( you know, the dark green and blue with flowers on the sides) . They are high fired and winter hardy and very antique-looking. Often have drops of black coal on them from kiln.
also
NEEEEEVERRRRRR by Chinese bonsai tools!!!!
I've never seen a good one made of good steel that fit and moved smoothly!....ever!
Regards,
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