Vintage Preserved Bonsai Appraisal help

[Bravo]

Hello,
I'm looking for information about how to get a valuation and possibly sell a vintage, preserved bonsai tree. I believe it's from the late 1970's/early 1980's.

Here are the measurements and photos:
- Tree itself: 20" tall by 26" wide
- Base only: 10.5" x 8" x 2.5"

Any idea on the value of the tree?
Any suggestions about how to go about selling it?

Thanks for your help!

:

 

[Nybonsai12]

Do you know the type of juniper this is?

In it's current state, it would require a fair amount of work to turn into a good bonsai. You may try to sell on the Facebook Bonsai Auctions if you would like to ship it. I bet it would fetch 100-200 on the auctions.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Preserved, as in: it's dead?
10 dollars if that's the case.
Right now there are plastic fakes that outdo the character of this one with ease, and those go for about 25 dollars.

If it's alive: Appearance of age matters more than actual age. And this plant looks like it has been styled once or twice. So pre-starter material we can pick up for 20-40 dollars.
No taper, no pads, no idea on the health status, no other information, 40 dollars is on the higher end of what I'd pay for this.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Preserved, as in: it's dead?
10 dollars if that's the case.
Right now there are plastic fakes that outdo the character of this one with ease, and those go for about 25 dollars.

If it's alive: Appearance of age matters more than actual age. And this plant looks like it has been styled once or twice. So pre-starter material we can pick up for 20-40 dollars.
No taper, no pads, no idea on the health status, no other information, 40 dollars is on the higher end of what I'd pay for this.

Ahhh. Preserved! That would explain why the pot looks so new and shiny.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Preserved, as in: it's dead?
10 dollars if that's the case.
Right now there are plastic fakes that outdo the character of this one with ease, and those go for about 25 dollars.

If it's alive: Appearance of age matters more than actual age. And this plant looks like it has been styled once or twice. So pre-starter material we can pick up for 20-40 dollars.
No taper, no pads, no idea on the health status, no other information, 40 dollars is on the higher end of what I'd pay for this.

haha I totally missed the preserved part...

you are right, if dead it def ain't worth much...

 

[Eckhoffw]

At the same time, artificial plants are pretty dang expensive. I would just post it up and see what someone will pay for it. You never know.

 

[rockm]

It's a large freeze-dried bonsai. They're pretty common. Large New ones these days can range from the low hundreds to a thousand bucks. This one is dusty and a little worn. I'd say $200 at the outside at the right flea market.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Any idea on the value of the tree?
Any suggestions about how to go about selling it?

Your biggest problem is that it isn't a good bonsai. (Alive OR dead) It looks to me like a dead procumbens juniper from a landscape nursery - killed and stuck in a pot. If you post this on a bonsai auction site, I hope you have a thick skin, because people may ridicule you for it.

I said this because I think your best market would probably be a general eBay market where someone who isn't a bonsai enthusiast is just looking for something cool/interesting to use as a house decoration. They may not care if it is considered a "good bonsai" or not - they just like the way it looks.

I don't think there is much value here, if any. I would think if you got $25 for it, you should consider it a good deal. But you never know! It is unusual and maybe you could get a couple of people competing for it to drive up the price!

 

[rockm]

Your biggest problem is that it isn't a good bonsai. (Alive OR dead) It looks to me like a dead procumbens juniper from a landscape nursery - killed and stuck in a pot. If you post this on a bonsai auction site, I hope you have a thick skin, because people may ridicule you for it.

I said this because I think your best market would probably be a general eBay market where someone who isn't a bonsai enthusiast is just looking for something cool/interesting to use as a house decoration. They may not care if it is considered a "good bonsai" or not - they just like the way it looks.

I don't think there is much value here, if any. I would think if you got $25 for it, you should consider it a good deal. But you never know! It is unusual and maybe you could get a couple of people competing for it to drive up the price!

There s a very large market for these. They're freeze dried real trees. Some pay a premium for them. Doesn't make any difference if they're "good" bonsai. The market they address doesn't care. They're after "cool" home decor not bonsai...

Forever Green Art Bonsai

Forever Green Art hand crafts all of their bonsai using real preserved trees. It is an art that there craftsman have honed over many years of practice. All of the Preserved Bonsai are made in America

www.forevergreenart.com

 

[Bravo]

Thanks for all the comments! I'm not very knowledgeable about bonsai so wasn't sure how to describe the state. Yes, it was a real tree but has been dried.

I'll try the "post and see what I can get approach" locally (seems like this would be hard to ship and probably not worth it).

 

[BrightsideB]

I had no idea this was a thing.

 

[pandacular]

oh so that’s what they mean when they talk about a finished bonsai!

 

[RoadManDenDron]

How long in the microwave to defrost one of these?

 

[snowman04]

There s a very large market for these. They're freeze dried real trees. Some pay a premium for them. Doesn't make any difference if they're "good" bonsai. The market they address doesn't care. They're after "cool" home decor not bonsai...

Forever Green Art Bonsai

Forever Green Art hand crafts all of their bonsai using real preserved trees. It is an art that there craftsman have honed over many years of practice. All of the Preserved Bonsai are made in America

www.forevergreenart.com

I need one of these for my office! No one will know the difference there...

 

[Lorax7]

Your biggest problem is that it isn't a good bonsai. (Alive OR dead)

This ^^^

 

[Srt8madness]

I'm interested in how it stays green af6er if freeze drying

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'm interested in how it stays green af6er if freeze drying

Or the needles don't just become spent.

 

[Deleted member 49943]

Thanks for all the comments! I'm not very knowledgeable about bonsai so wasn't sure how to describe the state. Yes, it was a real tree but has been dried.

I'll try the "post and see what I can get approach" locally (seems like this would be hard to ship and probably not worth it).

How much and how big is the pot it's worth than the organic matter.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm interested in how it stays green af6er if freeze drying

Freeze drying doesn't damage the internal cell structures as much, so chlorophyll and other structures stay mostly intact and don't get oxidized. Great way to preserve food.
This traps the insides and preserves the color, vitamins, proteins, and resins.

Put it in sunlight and it will turn brown over time though. But since air hardly gets in, that might take a long time.

 

[rockm]

I'm interested in how it stays green af6er if freeze drying

The process removes all the moisture in the plant, but leaves behind pigments. To take it to extremes...

The Freeze-Dry Process - Second Life Freeze Dry

Freeze-dry preservation can provide the most realistic memorial for your pet. Read about the process and essential first steps.

www.secondlifefreezedry.com