Each year before a show there is a thundering announcement in the newsletter that every member should show a tree. A literal interpretation of the word tree means that no one has ever shown a tree in a show. This announcement implores one to take the tree out of the pot it is growing in and plop the tree roots, dirt and all, on the show table. Nobody, at least up to now, has done that. Of course, a tree is displayed in a bonsai pot. With two components the tree becomes a composition. Deep in the fine print of the newsletter, a statement can usually be found that indicates that a stand is expected for your display which means that the display now has three components, the tree, pot, and stand. Stands provide two elements to the composition. First, it raises the tree so it can be more easily seen and second, it visually separates the composition from the surroundings, much as a frame does for a picture. A top-quality display requires that each of the components must fully compliment the display. The stand must be understated so it does not hog the display and must have the appearance of fine furniture. This is accomplished by careful construction and finish which makes for an elegant presentation. The role of the stand is to provide understated elegance to the composition.

Japanese bonsai masters make a major part of their income by taking care of wealthy clients’ trees. They attract clients by winning awards at the major shows, so the success of their trees in the show effects their livelihood and thus is far more important to them than the show prize money or the ego trip that is involved. For them it is crucial that the tree, pot and stand all combine to make the composition be the very best possible composition. As a result, there are a family of stand designs that have evolved over the years that are seen in the top shows in Japan that are judged to show the trees at their very best. While each of these stands is unique, as a group they have several common characteristics.
They are made of hard, fine-grained wood that takes a beautiful finish. The wood selected is strong which allows slender stand parts, especially legs of taller stands. The craftsmanship of the stands is uniformly superb.

The color of the stands is very dark brown to near black. Physiologists tell us that some colors appear distinct while placed side by side and others tend to blend together. Dark browns and green (as in tree leaves) are seen as separate colors and, in fact, the dark colors make the green leaves of the tree stand out. Yellow and green are two colors that blend. The yellow color of a stand finished in blond tones makes the green leaves to take on a yellowish tint. Yellow leaves are usually a sign that your tree is dying and that is something that you do not want to advertise.

There are several other much used features that are frequently seen. The net result is that although every stand is unique it may have a feature that is recognizable in other stands. Thus, we have a “traditional look” for stands.

Part of the role of the stand is to blend into the composition. This has a big effect on the design of the stand. The mortal sin for a stand is to hog the composition by vividly standing out from the rest of the composition. To meet this challenge, the best Japanese stands have a very minimalist design. There are no unnecessary lumps or gewgaws in the design. Boisterous attempts at dramatic effects fall flat and become more of an art statement than a bonsai stand. There is no more wood used than necessary. Except for the top of the stand, there are no large expanses of flat wood visible. Legs on tall stands are no thicker than needed to reliably hold the stand up. The overall impression is that the stand is light in weight, and this holds for even when relatively massive low stands.

This analysis of stands seen in the top Japanese shows provides a yardstick that can be used when shopping for stands. Good quality stands are well made, dark in color and display a minimalist design.

At club sales where stands might be sold, one may encounter non-traditional stands. An example are slabs. These are made by slicing a log like a salami. The slices are sometime very thick and because of this commit a mortal sin. They will dominate the composition unless the tree is also very large. Thin slabs are fine but slabs over one half an inch thick should be looked at skeptically. Sometimes a stand shows up with a non-traditional design which has none of the expected “traditional” design features. The stand should be judged by the usual yardstick for judging stands, i.e., nicely made, dark color and minimalistic design. The fact that it is non-traditional deign does not necessarily mean that it is not a worthy addition to a display composition.

A frequent question is how big should a stand be for my tree? There are at least three ways to judge pot size with stands size. First, all larger stands and many smaller stands have a panel in the center of the top of the stand. The panel is held in place by a rim around the top. This construction is used to allow the panel to expand and contract due to changes in humidity and is used to prevent the formation of cracks in the top of the stand. The pot should be inside the rim around the top. A second way to size the stand is a mathematical formula. The distance between the edge of the pot and the edge of the stand is one fifth of the diameter of the pot. Another is that the sum of the two distances between the edges of the pot and the edge of the stand should be one third of the diameter of the pot. These two formulas give different answers. For a fifteen-inch pot the calculated distance is two and one half or three inches. It is not so much that they contradict each other but rather makes the point that there is no exact stand size for any given pot and there is room for variation. A little over or under is OK however there are limits. Obviously if the distance between the edge of the pot and the edge of the stand is one inch for a fifteen-inch-wide pot, the stand is too skimpy. Similarly, a stand allowing a five-inch distance would be too big. When you search for a new stand to purchase it is crucial that you first measure the pot so that the stand will be a manageable size for your pot.

Stands are fine furniture and should be treated as such. Between shows stands should be carefully stored to prevent damage. Before the show, carefully remove any dust that may have accumulated and the stand should be given a coat of furniture polish. Any of the many polish products found in grocery stores work just fine. Even a stand that is not of top quality makes a much better presentation if it is polished and buffed.

Stands occasionally suffer scratches in use. Minor blemishes can be treated with Old English Scratch Remover, available at Safeway. Scratches into the raw wood are difficult to repair. The underling wood is much lighter that the finish and this makes it really stand out. Application to the scratch of the darkest wood stain available will help the subdue the scratch but will not hide it. The best remedy is to treat the stand carefully, so it is not scratched in the first place.

Next time you visit a show, spend a little time to specifically look at the stands in the compositions. It will give you and appreciation of just how varied the design of stands can be. Understated elegance can take many forms.