Most Expensive Tree?

[yenling83]

1. I'm wondering approx how much the most expensive Bonsai in the U.S. has sold for?
Anything over $100,000 usd?

2. How many trees/year go for over $10,000 in the U.S.?
Maybe 3/year in entire U.S.?


3.. I'm wondering approx how much the most expensive Bonsai has sold for in Japan?
Anything over $500,000usd?

4. How many trees/year go for over $10,000 in Japan?
Maybe 25?

I don't know what do you think?

 

[Tachigi]

I can (based on my experience) answer #1 and #2

#1 slightly over $25,000

#2 I know of 4 in one year, but they sold right about at your break point

 

[Attila Soos]

This book has the picture of a ponderosa pine bonsai. The dollar amount noted in the book is $500,000. But I don't remember whether this is the amount that it was sold for, or it is the amount that it was valued at. I need to check it at home, I don't have the book with me. But this may have been the most expensive American bonsai.

 

[Rick Moquin]

Why is this important?

 

[yenling83]

This book has the picture of a ponderosa pine bonsai. The dollar amount noted in the book is $500,000. But I don't remember whether this is the amount that it was sold for, or it is the amount that it was valued at. I need to check it at home, I don't have the book with me. But this may have been the most expensive American bonsai.

wow, that seems like a lot for this tree. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder and value is really just what someone is willing to pay. Did this tree actually sell for $500,000 or was it just for sale for that much?

 

[Mark]

If you can not tell a Ponderosa Pine from a Hinoki Cypress, even from a poor quality photo, you need not concern yourself with how much that banzai bush sold for or judge its worth.
I like Rick, want to know ,"Why is it important"?

 

[yenling83]

Why is this important?

Mostly just because i was thinking about it and am curious. But, the question also relates to people's attitudes about spending big money on Bonsai in the States compared to Japan and the overall value of Bonsai in general. I use to collect old high end Silver age comics-Xmen #1, first appearance of Superman, Batman #1. Nicolas Cage among other famous celebrities and wealthy people would drop hundreds of thousands on these comics. Comics are sold for more than cars and houses on maybe a weekly to monthly basis.

In Japan it seems to be semi similar to the comic market in the States. I saw a video of a famous and professional golfer drops mad cash on trees, then pays Shinji Suzuki take care of them. As Bonsai continues to grow in the U.S. I'm sure we will see much higher prices paid for trees, just wondering where the bar is currently in the U.S..

 

[greerhw]

Mostly just because i was thinking about it and am curious. But, the question also relates to people's attitudes about spending big money on Bonsai in the States compared to Japan and the overall value of Bonsai in general. I use to collect old high end Silver age comics-Xmen #1, first appearance of Superman, Batman #1. Nicolas Cage among other famous celebrities and wealthy people would drop hundreds of thousands on these comics. Comics are sold for more than cars and houses on maybe a weekly to monthly basis.

In Japan it seems to be semi similar to the comic market in the States. I saw a video of a famous and professional golfer drops mad cash on trees, then pays Shinji Suzuki take care of them. As Bonsai continues to grow in the U.S. I'm sure we will see much higher prices paid for trees, just wondering where the bar is currently in the U.S..

I only know of one person in the US that pays $$$$$$$ for trees.

keep it green,
Harry

 

[yenling83]

I only know of one person in the US that pays $$$$$$$ for trees.

keep it green,
Harry

I apologize, but not exactly sure what you mean by this.

 

[Taiko-Earth]

I only know of one person in the US that pays $$$$$$$ for trees.

keep it green,
Harry

Harry,
I don't suppose that you are going to tell us whom that might be? I was going along with Rick too about it not being necessary, but now my curiousity piqued.

Rob

 

[greerhw]

I apologize, but not exactly sure what you mean by this.

I know of one person that pays 5 figures for masterpieces.....

keep it green,
Harry

 

[johng]

If you can not tell a Ponderosa Pine from a Hinoki Cypress, even from a poor quality photo, you need not concern yourself with how much that banzai bush sold for or judge its worth.
I like Rick, want to know ,"Why is it important"?

Mark.. maybe you need to go back and reread Atilla's post...it did not say or even infer that the picture of the book cover had anything to do with the tree in question. (I must say it was difficult not to reply to your statement with same disrespect that you demonstrated in yours.)

The question is important only because it was asked!

I do not have specific knowledge but I strongly suspect that a fair number of trees are sold annually in the US for 10k and more. I know of one that sold for 15k and have seen numerous trees priced in and above that range. The problem is that the people who buy these trees are not interested in the general public knowing anything about it.

There are thousands of trees in Japan that are valued and sell for greater than 10k. I do not know if it is true but I was told from a reliable source that Kobiyashi(sp) sold a tree to the Taiwanese govt for around $5 million dollars in the late 1990's....not Yen but dollars!!!

In 2000, Mr. Iwasaki alone employed 13 fulltime bonsai and landscape gardeners and, again from a reliable source, had an easy $10 million in high quality containers stacked under his bonsai benches...and that doesn't even count the room full of antique Chinese pots that were kept behind glass. If he personally did not have 500 trees worth more than 10k he didn't have any!!

Yengling..I think your estimates are vastly conservative

John

 

[Attila Soos]

If you can not tell a Ponderosa Pine from a Hinoki Cypress, even from a poor quality photo, you need not concern yourself with how much that banzai bush sold for or judge its worth.
I like Rick, want to know ,"Why is it important"?

Edit: Since the misunderstanding was sorted out, I deleted the rest of this post.

 

[Attila Soos]

Did this tree actually sell for $500,000 or was it just for sale for that much?

That is the question that matters, whether someone actually paid that much. Otherwise, the number doesn't mean much. I will take a look at the book when I get home, and let you know.

 

[yenling83]

Well, Sherlock, I do know the difference.

But if you cannot tell the difference between the sentence "This book has the picture of a ponderosa pine bonsai" and "The cover of this book has the picture of a ponderosa pine bonsai", go back to your community college and take some Reading Comprehension 101 classes (how about that, for a response to your insult?).
In case you still don't get it, I did not make a reference to the cover page of the book. So may be the picture is IN the book...

Attila -I apoligize as I read your original quote super fast and assumed the tree pictured was the tree you were talking about. Sorry about that! Re-reading it I see what you actually meant and am curious to see what the actual ponderosa looks like?

 

[Attila Soos]

Mark.. maybe you need to go back and reread Atilla's post...it did not say or even infer that the picture of the book cover had anything to do with the tree in question. (I must say it was difficult not to reply to your statement with same disrespect that you demonstrated in yours.)

The question is important only because it was asked!


John

Thank you John,
I was just about to leave the office when I saw Mark's remark. Normally, I don't mind to be insulted...but taking a Hinoki for a Ponderosa pine is more than that: it is like getting insulted, while also getting a kick in the ass. Right now, I am just trying to get my blood pressure down to the lower double digits.

 

[greerhw]

Most everyone involved in a hobby is curious about what someone pays for something, human nature. I collect koi and even my family wants to know what I pay for a fish, it's really none of their business, but I usually respond with a low ball figure. If I enter koi in a koi show, the first thing out of visitors mouths are usually three questions, how much does it weight, how old is it and what's it worth. When I show my trees in our club show, the question I get the most is, how old is it. Rather that argue with someone, I just make up numbers, if it happens to be a pretty young woman, I director her over to one of the benches we have placed around for people to set and enjoy looking at the trees., then I take as much time as I can telling her all I think I know about bonsai. Different responses for different situations..........

keep it green,
Harry

 

[Attila Soos]

Attila -I apoligize as I read your original quote super fast and assumed the tree pictured was the tree you were talking about. Sorry about that! Re-reading it I see what you actually meant and am curious to see what the actual ponderosa looks like?

Yenling83,
It's not you who wrote this, it is Mark. So, don't apologize please.

 

[Tachigi]

if it happens to be a pretty young woman, I director her over to one of the benches we have placed around for people to set and enjoy looking at the trees., then I take as much time as I can telling her all I think I know about bonsai.
keep it green,
Harry

I use to do that....then my wife started coming to the shows!

 

[Attila Soos]

Why is this important?

Rick,

Why is it important that you ask "Why is it important"?

Is the importance of the price unimportant to you? May be some people find it important to know how much they need to pay for a masterpiece....unless of course, they have so much money that it makes no difference to them whether they pay $100 or $100,000.