Preliminary identification
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Overview
An extraordinary piece of American studio art pottery featuring a highly detailed, windswept bonsai tree sculpted directly onto the rim of a wheel-thrown bowl. The interior of the bowl is finished in a striking, metallic gold glaze that contrasts beautifully with the organic, textured exterior.
Story
Crafted in the Pacific Northwest, this piece captures the dramatic, wind-bent Monterey cypress and coastal pines of the American West. Artist Bonnie Belt spent decades translating her love for ancient trees into clay, creating living sculptures that never fade.
Maker / Origin
Bonnie Belt is a celebrated Oregon-based ceramic artist renowned for her intricate, hand-sculpted tree forms integrated into functional and decorative pottery. Her signature style merges traditional wheel-throwing with highly realistic, organic hand-building, making each of her creations a unique, highly sought-after tribute to nature.
Condition & Value
The bowl appears to be in excellent vintage condition with no visible chips, cracks, or repairs to the delicate, protruding branches. The gold luster interior is bright and free of major scratching. Excellent preservation of these fragile elements commands a premium.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.