Are we Ready for tagging trees 'Important Bonsai Masterpiece'?

Important Bonsai Masterpiece

Sometimes when looking at awesome Japanese trees one sees a tag hanging from a branch. The tag designates that the tree is an 'Important Bonsai masterpiece'. Thus the tree is not judged.

After a tree is designated Kichou Bonsai, a handmade plaque is also given and this can be displayed with the tree and a metal tag which is hung from a branch (during an exhibition).

It is my humble opinion that in Europe and other continents we should start doing this also because other good trees will not stand a chance of winning when such trees are made to compete. A tree in mind (and I think I will be honoring the tree and its owner by mentioning it) is the taxus of Stefano Frisoni from Italy.

Do you know of other trees that could and maybe should be designated Kichou Bonsai - if we are ready to do it.

Yes several at the National Arboretum in DC, beginning with Goshen.

I'll look at my benches when I get home. I'll let yiu know.

M. Frary wrote:   I'll look at my benches when I get home. I'll let yiu know.

atta-boy !

Nope. None yet.

I'm sure there are trees that qualify so this should be done.

In the meantime, I've got a few that could do with a label of "Bonsai Firewood" at the moment, but I live in hope that time will allow me to remove this description.........

JT

I wonder how much "true age" factors into the Japanese definition of 'masterpiece." Are (as a silly example) Kimura's trees automatically labeled as such, or do they have to have been great bonsai for a hundred years, or so?

I think that the trees to merit this title are bonsai of the finest quality; trees with much mochicomi i.e. continuous work input to improve and refine the tree year after year, culminating it to stand out above most other bonsai trees. In Japan it has been done for these last 35 years only, so not long time ago.

DougB wrote:Yes several at the National Arboretum in DC, beginning with Goshen.

I totally agree.

M. Frary wrote:   I'll look at my benches when I get home. I'll let yiu know.

I do not have to look. I know I don't have such trees but what I have give me pleasure for most of them I have grown them from seeds or cuttings or airlayerings. In Malta we do not have the luxury of finding awesome yamadori material.

Japan it has been done for these last 35 years only, so not long time ago.

I understand that, but that doesn't really answer my question.  I'd wager that the trees that qualify have been worked on for much longer.

Thirty five years is a very long time for a western bonsai, but not so much for the finer trees in Japan, I suspect.

JimLewis wrote:

Japan it has been done for these last 35 years only, so not long time ago.

I understand that, but that doesn't really answer my question.  I'd wager that the trees that qualify have been worked on for much longer.

Thirty five years is a very long time for a western bonsai, but not so much for the finer trees in Japan, I suspect.

I'm with Jim. Japan has been growing bonsai for about 1300 years and they just started naming important bonsai 35 years ago. So in 3280 we can start naming them important bonsai masterpiece.

All kidding aside I would love to know what makes an important bonsai masterpiece special. Something I'm striving for. We should call them "Bonsai që janë shumë të rëndësishme". To me that means more than Kichou

[quote="Sam Ogranaja"][quote="JimLewis"]

So in 3280 we can start naming them important bonsai masterpiece.

whew... thats good... now i have some more time.

Getting there! I think somebody ought to call somebody to get somebody over here next week! And to think I just dug this out of my backyard 3 years ago!
I would like to thank my wife for all of her support.
I would like to thank the judges for choosing the right tree.
As last but not least I need to thank myself.
I couldn't have done it without me.
I'm sorry. I can't help it. For some reason this question tickles me.

beer city snake wrote:

Sam Ogranaja wrote:

JimLewis wrote:

So in 3280 we can start naming them important bonsai masterpiece.

whew... thats good... now i have some more time.

With love. That's just because you need more time Kev. Ahahhahahhahahhahahhahahahahahahhahah

The devil inside made me do it

Happy 4th brother!
Sam

indeed i do need time...

we all have a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other

and happy 4th to you too sam !

hope to meet you in person this october if you are at the expo...

beer city snake wrote:indeed i do need time...

we all have a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other

and happy 4th to you too sam !

hope to meet you in person this october if you are at the expo...

Oh I'll be there. I missed last year and no way in hell am I missing this year again. Friday night is my favorite thing there.

john g asked us for help with his club's display on thursday night...
and so maybe we can weasel our way into the friday night reception...
but we will be there from wed nite through tues... sunday nite campfire getogether at our campground

The designation should come after rigorous milestones have been met, lest it become a meaningless title.

That's IF we even need such a designation. The trees certainly don't care, and I'm totally unconcerned with feeding someone's ego.

JimLewis wrote:That's IF we even need such a designation.

i second that.

i have however, given a name to a couple of my "special" trees...

but common names, like mikel and elmer.

beer city snake wrote:

JimLewis wrote:That's IF we even need such a designation.

i second that.

i have however, given a name to a couple of my "special" trees...

but common names, like mikel and elmer.

I expect a Sam in there somewhere. Something like "This tree here is named Sam, a Diamond Geezer" LOL

Sam Ogranaja wrote:"This tree here is named Sam, a Diamond Geezer" LOL

JimLewis wrote:That's IF we even need such a designation.  The trees certainly don't care, and I'm totally unconcerned with feeding someone's ego.

Ah yes, ego, hungriest animal on seven continents. I was thinking more in terms of identifying archetypes of a style, or one of combining all elements in balance, but perhaps that only serves to narrow artistic vision...