Auction Bashing

TreeBay

Since we have some interesting things coming up on the ***bonsaiTALK*** homepage I thought this might be an opportunity to have some fun with them.

I suppose you could call this Auction Bashing. Hope it doesn't hurt anyone's feelings. At least, if your feelings are hurt, don' t say so and you won't have embarassment added to injury The only rule is that you have to add something positive after you bash. Anything at all. What you'd do to correct or fix it, maybe

For the first Auction Bash, I found this AMAZING Cotoneaster bonsai

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...item=2072763530

> COTONEASTER JEWELS NW BONSAI IS HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS
> BEAUTIFUL AND AMAZING SPIRALLING COTONEASTER SPECIMEN

THE PROBLEM

Other than the ALL CAPS description, I think I would have to agree with the seller that:

> THE PICTURES DO NOT DO THE TREE JUSTICE , AND IT WILL
> ONLY CONTINUE TO LOOK BETTER AND BETTER !!!

It's headed every which way, and none of it makes any sense. There is nothing you could prune off that would not improve this tree in some way.

THE QUESTION:

Why now, do we need $15 worth of Priority Mail to rush this living jewel to its new owner's hands?

WHAT I'D DO

I think I do see a cascade line in there somewhere. I'd begin by pruning away everything else. The existing branches are unfortunately too large to serve as branches. That's a big part of what confuses the line. Once the branches get more than half as big as the trunk, they are too big and need to be cut away.

Regards,

Matt

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ROBOKU

AMAAAAAZING CASCADE STYLE COTONEASTER BONSAI TREE (LOL)

I can see the time and years of work with all that foalage they must of pinched back for years the style is amazing how it hangs over with all those lovely thick branches

the positive.....it had a red berry..

Jay

In line with Matt's post, there is a person from Pensacola Fla who post to ebay all the time. He has up now many many items. All are similar to the one I will let you in on now. A 17 x 24 Really Big Oval Mica Bonsai Pot . He has it up for a start at $36 with a buy it now for $42. The shipping is only $14.00. Whats wrong here??

Bonsaimonk.com is selling what appears to be the same item for $28.00 (no bidding required) they determine the shipping from the actual cost. I ordered this item from them two weeks ago..along with 5 small (6.5x5.25) ceramic pots, and two other items and the shipping for the lot was $10.60.......

Lets see.... auction for at least $50.00..... buy outright for under $40.00........humm??

As in anything...let the buyer beware!!!

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

salix

OK, I've got one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&category=20524

Check out the plastic tree! The closer you look, the freakier it gets. Ugh!

My positive comment:

This would be a great substitute for mallsai, and would reduce the worldwide Juniper mortality rate.

Carl_Bergstrom

One other positive, Salix:

"The bonsai is easy to clean."

Always a top criterion for me.

-OMC

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In love with trees

salix

OK, just one more:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&category=20524

I really can't believe this one. You can still see the grass coming up from where they ripped it out of the ground in their back yard. Yet another all-caps ad. The most precious quote ever: "MOST TREES ARE LOOKING SHABBY RIGHT NOW IN THE FALL" Notice the yellow, poxy-looking leaves and chopstick-straight "STURDY , RUGGED BARKED TRUNK & BASE." Yeah, it's all about the time of year, isn't it? I have an azalea that spent part of the year tipped on its side in a pot that looks peppier.

But hey, the price for the tree is right. Less than $5 for a tree that you might be ashamed to use in landscaping is spot-on. Of course, it will cost you $10 to have the little gem shipped to you...

Jay

Salix and Matt, please note.... both the trees you listed here, have bids....does this say something?

WE NEED TO EDUCATE!!!!!!!!!!

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

salix

OMC,

There's nothing worse than bonsai with dirt on them after all. I wish I could just take the shop-vac to all of mine...

Brian

Looking more like profit is being made on the shipping ,, rather than product ??

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Brian
Zone 4
Michigan USA