Best wishes

very old magazines of Bonsaiclub Germany for sale

Very rare magazines of Bonsaiclub Germany
#1 totally unused euro 120

#21 to 36 - 14 copies  euro 80
altogether euro 180
plus shipping
paypal accepted

Magazin des Bonsaiclub Deutschland.
Alle Hefte sehr gut erhalten.

Das seltenste und wertvollste Heft Nr. 1, Dezember 1978 in bester Erhaltung

einzeln 120,- Euro

Hefte 21 bis 36 (März 1984 bis Dezember 87) 16 Hefte

80,- Euro

beide zusammen  180,- Euro.

Plus Versand
paypal wird akzeptiert.

The big and famous Iwasaki book for sale

The big and famous Iwasaki book

€800

Takasagoan Bonsai Collection
Publication year 1995
Author Daizo Iwasaki
Preface by Kimura Masahiko

Fortunately,it is written both in English and in Japanese.

Only 2000 copies were published.Limited edition
This is a very hard-to-find book together with Kakuryuan bonsai Collection.

In the English foreword to this book,Kimura Masahiko,a great bonsai master recommedns this book as follows,"Mr.Daizo Iwasaki is well known as a representative figure of bonsai to dmirerrs in the world of bonsai,with whom I have been associated for a long time.
Two years ago,I had a chance to take a look at Mr.Iwasaki's shelves holding the collection.There were a variety of bonsai;from very old trees,to young trees newly brought from the mountains.It was a magnificent view to see hundreds of bonsai,all well cultivated and neatly arranged.
It is a great honor for me to have the opportunity of taking care of his bonsai collection on the occasion of this publication."

This book has the number 1306
signed
brand new condition
signed by Mr. Iwasaki

270 pages
151 trees featured
35 pots
and many other illustrations and descriptions

The few copies that appeared were sold in the past for up to US$ 1,000 and over.

Price 800,00 euro or 940 US$ plus shipping

Large Kato Bonsai book for sale

Large Japanese picture book

€120

Large Japanese picture book, apparently about the 100 best bonsai in Japan around 1990

by the late Hatsuji Kato, son of Saburo Kato

35cm x 27cm, 14“ x 11“

ISBN-620-60423-2 (says the cover, but a search cannot find the book)

signed 1996 by Hatsuji Kato

text in Japanese only

100 images of the trees with extensive text in Japanese

Available for US$ 150 plus shipping or 120 euro plus shipping. Book now in Germany

paypal accepted

Is valued by experts for at least US$ 200

Bonsai Today Magazine #1 to 27 for sale

Bonsai Today Magazine #1 to 27 +38

€350 Now €300

Munich, Germany

Bonsai Today Magazine #1 to 27 plus #38. All in good condition. Number 1 is the first issue! There was a reprint which is offered for way over US$ 100 already. The original issue should be worth a lot more.
Besides the value as collection these magazines are full of information which is still quite valuable.

The magazines are in Germany now. The buyer has to pay shipping. To North America this would be US$ 48.- To Europe it would be 18 Euro. Paypal accepted.

price: 300 euro or 350 US$

Should it be called "Bonsai"? article in the ABS journal

Saimir Ogranaja has asked me to answer two questions for an article in the journal of American Bonsai Society. The article was published recently. Here my contribution:

American Bonsai or Bonsai in America?

Thoughts of Walter Pall

http://walter-pall.de/

What's your take on this statement? Since Bonsai is a Japanese word for a Japanese art form, when one is involved in the art of bonsai, they should pay attention to and follow Japanese rules of aesthetics. Just like when one is creating Penjing, they should follow the Chinese rules for Penjing. Ultimately, they're both multi faceted forms of expression comprised of art, craft and spirituality practices. If we grow artistic little trees and don't want to abide by their rules, that's fine but we may want to call it something else entirely. 

Bonsai is indeed a Japanese word. It has also become an international word, used in almost all languages for “tree in a pot“. The whole world thinks that this is a Japanese art form. Well, if anything, then it is Chinese. And is it really an art form?

Japanese bonsai is about discipline, knowing rules, respecting rules, respecting masters, respecting the old ones, not sticking out your head, not trying to be something special, something different etc.. This has made Japan successful. But in art it is a burden. Japanese bonsai is generally not treated as an art form. It is a well defined craft. This is changing right now in America as well as in Europe. In the Eastern view a good artist is one who does what he was taught so well that his master could have done it. In the Western view an artist is one who tries very hard and successfully to find something new, to be different, to excel, to be a rebel. This is the contrary of what one should do in Japan. This schizophrenic situation is causing a lot of confusion and constant pain in the bonsai world. Just go to some public bonsai forums and see for yourself. I see a gradual movement towards the Western way of looking at art coming into bonsai. And this will open the door to a new world. If you are accusing someone to not follow the rules I have the feeling that you are not understanding that it’s his job as artist to do so and the top ones create new rules.

Now that this craft is finally turning into an art form we have to live with the fact that some will change more or less radically what we were used to see as „Japanese traditional bonsai“. Whether we like it or not it is bound to happen. In the original question about the name of this game it was stated that this is fine, but should we not call this a new name? Well, we could, but will it be accepted by the bonsai scene? I am afraid it will not. The word bonsai has become an international word and will be used for whatever seems to be a tree in a container – whether we find this to be correct or not.

Usually much to my own surprise when I post some of my creations instead of praise sometimes I get harsh criticism for being so different. A well known person in Europe who is not so friendly once more or less seriously thought a couple of years ago that my creations should be named „Pallsai“ to make sure that this was clearly different from “Bonsai“. It was not meant well meaning, but I was amused. I thought it would be great if a version of an art form were called that centuries after I am dead. Well, it did not happen. The world calls it „Naturalistic Bonsai Style“ and „Fairy Tale Bonsai Style“, fine with me.

Now if someone wants to make sure that he speaks about the Japanese traditional way of doing bonsai he should call it „Japanese bonsai“. But then one should be aware that there is no such thing as uniform Japanese bonsai. The world is changing in Japan too. What once was considered great, now is old fashioned, when once most did nearly the same, diversity is getting to be the game in Japan as well as in the rest of the world.

The English invented a game and called it football. The rest of the world also plays this game and calls it football. The Americans changed this game to be something entirely different and still call it football. They believe that the world calls the old version of the game soccer now. The rest of the world does not so. Taking this as example: Why don’t we from now on call “bonsai” what we do and demand that the Japanese find a new name for it?

Do they even bother with what "bonsai" is in other parts of the world, or do they just grow miniaturized trees without much concern for Japanese or Chinese doctrine? I'm wondering if the need to label it as "American Bonsai" is only an American need, not met by practitioners in other cultures.

Most sure try to do bonsai “right” in Europe very much like in America. They are trying to follow rules more or less. They think they are doing Japanese bonsai in Europe. But the trend is for much more diversity now and much more freedom. What was “forbidden” up to recently now is fine for many. To be different than the rest is becoming a trend. The fundamentalists in Europe hate this just as they do in America. But they are getting fewer and the mavericks are getting more.

If in America some feel a need for “American Bonsai” in Europe this would be “Italian” of “French” because there is not really much of a feeling of being European. The internet makes us one world and a new trend is moving around everywhere quickly. After Classical Bonsai came Modern Bonsai. I think we can call this new world of bonsai Postmodern Bonsai to differentiate it from what was before. As in the real art world also in bonsai there is much more diversity and styles and trends are running in parallel and not in succession anymore. The cycles in art used to take decades if not even centuries in the old days. Now the cycles can be measured in months.

Gemeration Bonsai 2019

European bonsai dinosaurs assemble!
Get ready for a (pre-)historic event!

As always on the second weekend of May (11th - 12th) 2019

visit to Ryan Neil by Randy Knight and WP

As every year at the beginning of December Randy Knight and Walter Pall visit Ryan Neil. Unfortunately this is the time when the trees are about to go into winter storage or are already there. Nevertheless, here are some glimpses. Ryan showing Walter his Fairy Tale Redwood Forest.

Winter Study in Harrsiburg 2019 #2

Every year around the beginning of December Jim Doyle and Walter Pall host the Winter Study at Nature's Way Nursery in Harrisburg, PA.

Here glimpses of the event of this year.

If you want to have fun too in 2019 note the dates for next year:

Woodstock in Harrisburg 2019 - March 22 to 24, around 400 new trees will have arrived

Winter Study 2019 -  Nov. 29 to Dec 1

Contact Nature's Way Nursery