Many many pots for sale on my Etsy store

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

Some of my favorites from the past

 

[M. Frary]

They look like ceramics.
They don't tend to last where I live.

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

They look like ceramics.
They don't tend to last where I live.

That’s ashame! I love the way ceramics turn out!

Where do you live?

-Anthony

 

[M. Frary]

Northern Michigan.
I've tried some ceramics but they tend to crack during winter if they have trees in them.
Maybe they absorb water from the drain holes into the ceramic and it freezes and breaks them.
Good looking pots though.

 

[StoneCloud]

Most of the US experiences winter and the freeze thaw cycle is something we all know too well.

Have you tested any of your pots with trees in them over a few seasons ?

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

I have.. none have broken yet.

I live in Annapolis MD. The winters here are not terrible. They have been covered in snow and ice. But not and sub-zero

-Anthony

 

[atlarsenal]

I have bought one of your pots on EBay before. How do I search for your stuff on Etsy?

 

[StoneCloud]

I have.. none have broken yet.

I live in Annapolis MD. The winters here are not terrible. They have been covered in snow and ice. But not and sub-zero

-Anthony

Mfrary lives in Antarctica lol.

That's good what cone are you firing to?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I would give your pots an "A" for looks, but I would be worried about how they would hold up to the rigors of being used as an actual bonsai pot.

What you should do is go hang out at someone's house when they are repotting some of their trees after they have become root-bound. Pots need to be sturdy enough to put up with a fair amount of abuse. Not just freeze/thaw, but they have to be able to have anchor wires placed through the drain holes that are secured to the tree's rootball, and they will be constantly handled, and have tools poking and prodding them.

With old bonsai pots, often the "patina" that builds up on old a pot from years of constant use is highly valued. Chips not so much So you have to think about building a pot that will put up with that abuse for decades without chipping or cracking. Just as an example, here is an unglazed stoneware pot from an artist I really like. See how sturdy it looks?

I'm not trying to get you to change your aesthetic or design - just your sturdiness

 

[Giga]

I would give your pots an "A" for looks, but I would be worried about how they would hold up to the rigors of being used as an actual bonsai pot.

What you should do is go hang out at someone's house when they are repotting some of their trees after they have become root-bound. Pots need to be sturdy enough to put up with a fair amount of abuse. Not just freeze/thaw, but they have to be able to have anchor wires placed through the drain holes that are secured to the tree's rootball, and they will be constantly handled, and have tools poking and prodding them.

With old bonsai pots, often the "patina" that builds up on old a pot from years of constant use is highly valued. Chips not so much So you have to think about building a pot that will put up with that abuse for decades without chipping or cracking. Just as an example, here is an unglazed stoneware pot from an artist I really like. See how sturdy it looks?

I'm not trying to get you to change your aesthetic or design - just your sturdiness

View attachment 178055

I have to agree

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

Mfrary lives in Antarctica lol.

That's good what cone are you firing to?

Hahaha!! That awesome !

Most of my pots are made from Standard Clay America porcelain #213 fired to cone 6

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

I would give your pots an "A" for looks, but I would be worried about how they would hold up to the rigors of being used as an actual bonsai pot.

What you should do is go hang out at someone's house when they are repotting some of their trees after they have become root-bound. Pots need to be sturdy enough to put up with a fair amount of abuse. Not just freeze/thaw, but they have to be able to have anchor wires placed through the drain holes that are secured to the tree's rootball, and they will be constantly handled, and have tools poking and prodding them.

With old bonsai pots, often the "patina" that builds up on old a pot from years of constant use is highly valued. Chips not so much So you have to think about building a pot that will put up with that abuse for decades without chipping or cracking. Just as an example, here is an unglazed stoneware pot from an artist I really like. See how sturdy it looks?

I'm not trying to get you to change your aesthetic or design - just your sturdiness

View attachment 178055

Only my 5 1/2” pots are thin... I do price them accordingly. At $19.95 with shipping included... it’s not a bad deal. My larger pots are thicker.

I will indeed heed your wisdom. All my future small pots I’ll add some thickness.

Thank you for the advice

-Anthony

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

I have bought one of your pots on EBay before. How do I search for your stuff on Etsy?

Thank you!! I am thrilled that you have one of my pots!! How long ago? And chance of posting a pic of it?

-Anthony

http://etsy.me/2hH4ZD6

 

[atlarsenal]

A couple of weeks ago. I’m actually watching several you have on there now. I’ll check those out on Etsy.

 

[rockm]

I would give your pots an "A" for looks, but I would be worried about how they would hold up to the rigors of being used as an actual bonsai pot.

What you should do is go hang out at someone's house when they are repotting some of their trees after they have become root-bound. Pots need to be sturdy enough to put up with a fair amount of abuse. Not just freeze/thaw, but they have to be able to have anchor wires placed through the drain holes that are secured to the tree's rootball, and they will be constantly handled, and have tools poking and prodding them.

With old bonsai pots, often the "patina" that builds up on old a pot from years of constant use is highly valued. Chips not so much So you have to think about building a pot that will put up with that abuse for decades without chipping or cracking. Just as an example, here is an unglazed stoneware pot from an artist I really like. See how sturdy it looks?

I'm not trying to get you to change your aesthetic or design - just your sturdiness

View attachment 178055

I would tend to agree. Your pots look pretty flimsy for use even in this area. Bonsai are first and foremost functional pottery (preferably stoneware) build to withstand long-term (like decades or even centuries) use and abuse. While pretty glazes and painting is nice, I'm looking for pots that can actually be used.

Would be useful to know if you do bonsai and how long you've been doing it.

While $20 for a pot is dirt cheap, buying three of them because they all break isn't...

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

I do Bonsai, been doing it for about 10 years. I have been using my own pots for almost 5. I haven’t broken any yet, other the dropping one on occasion.

None of my pots are “painted” all glaze or colored slip.

I will heed advice and I’ll make a few batches of stoneware.

I haven’t let any get rootbound... perhaps I will. I would like to do more stress on them. And like I have said... the only thin pots I do are the small ones. All my larger sizes are made more the 1/4” and very sturdy.

-Anthony

 

[M. Frary]

Hahaha!! That awesome !

It really is when you're a big hairy bastard like myself.

 

[rockm]

I do Bonsai, been doing it for about 10 years. I have been using my own pots for almost 5. I haven’t broken any yet, other the dropping one on occasion.

None of my pots are “painted” all glaze or colored slip.

I will heed advice and I’ll make a few batches of stoneware.

I haven’t let any get rootbound... perhaps I will. I would like to do more stress on them. And like I have said... the only thin pots I do are the small ones. All my larger sizes are made more the 1/4” and very sturdy.

-Anthony

I guess there's bonsai and BONSAI. Stress on bonsai pots doesn't come from roots. It comes from weight of soil and trees, and weather. Freezing soil in pots left outside will crack thin walled pots pretty easily, especially if the pot has a design with an incurved rim. To get a real-world stress test, fill the pot up with a tree and soil. Water it well, bury it in mulch in November in the backyard and overwinter it there until March. That treatment will probably show you some weaknesses.

BTW, Do you have larger trees--like over three inches in diameter that require a gallon or two of bonsai soil in their pots? or are you more experienced with shohin and mame trees? Makes a big difference.

To get a feel for what makes a good bonsai pot, you have to handle good bonsai pots. Don't know if you have done this, but owning, using and handling Japanese tokoname made pots, or some of the more well known American and western bonsai potters' stuff can greatly inform how you make your own.

 

[atlarsenal]

Here’s the one I got from you.

 

[PotteryDowntoEarth]

Here’s the one I got from you.View attachment 178072

I am very curious how it holds up. Please let me know how it does. What do you plan to put in it?