Bonsai Pots: Chinese Antiques, Tokoname Masters and the Art of the Container
To a bonsai enthusiast, the pot is half the composition. Its shape, colour, texture and proportion frame the tree, and a fine antique pot can be worth more than the tree it holds. Pots are collected in their own right, displayed empty as ceramics or kept for the right tree.
Pots from China
The earliest bonsai pots in Japan were imported from China, many made in Yixing from fine unglazed clay. Japanese collectors grade them by when they arrived: very old imports are the most prized, with a soft, deep patina built up over generations of use. Their restrained shapes and subtle clays set the standard for later Japanese work.
Japanese potters
From the late nineteenth century, Japanese kilns began making bonsai pots in quantity. Tokoname, in Aichi prefecture, became the centre, and its potters remain the most respected names in the field. Kyoto and other centres produced finely glazed pots and pots decorated with painting. Many modern makers produce small numbers of exceptional pots, which collectors seek eagerly.
Glazed or unglazed
- Unglazed pots. Brown, red, grey and purple clays suit conifers and evergreens, echoing bark and earth.
- Glazed pots. Blue, green, cream and other glazes complement flowering and deciduous trees, picking up the colours of blossom, fruit or autumn leaves.
Proportion and shape
As a general guide, the depth of a pot relates to the thickness of the trunk, and its length to around two-thirds of the tree's height. Rectangular pots with strong feet suit powerful trees; oval and round pots suit graceful ones; tall cascade pots hold trees that fall below the rim. Feet, rims and corners all affect the character of a pot.
Reading the seal
Most collectable pots carry the maker's seal, impressed or painted, on the base or sometimes on the side. Seals help identify the potter and period. As with other Japanese ceramics, a fitted wooden box with an inscription adds confidence and value for important pieces.
Condition
- Tap the pot gently: a clear ring suggests no hidden cracks.
- Check rims, corners and feet for chips, and the base for cracks around drainage holes.
- Patina from years of use is desirable on old pots and should not be scrubbed away.
- Glazed pots can show crazing, which may be acceptable, and glaze losses, which reduce value.