Xref: kermit rec.arts.bonsai:75510

Can anyone tell me how long wire has been used for bonsai training? I was
under the impression it became common in the early 20th Century, when copper wire
started being widely manufactured for electricity. Somebody tried to tell me
it goes back earlier than that. What are the facts?
Iris

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I´ve read somewhere that the japanese used thin strips of led to wire
bonsai before they started to use copper wire. Don´t know how long ago
that was.

Henrik Gistvall, Uppsala, Sweden

wrote:

Can anyone tell me how long wire has been used for bonsai training? I was
under the impression it became common in the early 20th Century, when copper wire
started being widely manufactured for electricity. Somebody tried to tell me
it goes back earlier than that. What are the facts?
Iris

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

wrote:

Can anyone tell me how long wire has been used for bonsai training? I was
under the impression it became common in the early 20th Century, when copper wire
started being widely manufactured for electricity. Somebody tried to tell me
it goes back earlier than that. What are the facts?
Iris

Iris:
The manufacturing of wire from various metals dates back to the 1830's I believe,
although I may be wrong on that. It was used for applications other than
electricity. I've been under the impression that wire has been used in bonsai for
about a century (the time frame you suggest) since the time that the art became more
refined with cross pollenization between Japan and the West.

My guess is that copper wire would have been easily available in Japan in the later
19th and early 20th centuries with the rapid modernization of industry going on at
the time.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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The manufacturing of wire from various metals dates back to the 1830's

I believe, although I may be wrong on that. It was used for
applications other than electricity.

The original question did not specify copper, but copper has been in
use for some 10,000 years. Wire itself has a similarly ancient
history and found use in tools, musical instruments, weapons and
jewelry. Ancient Egyptian dentists were using gold wire to create
dental bridges back a couple millennia BC!
http://tinyurl.com/yvzlg

Iron wire was produced in 400AD
http://tinyurl.com/2rohh

Drawing wire became known in the 14th century

Now, with all that, I would be very surprised if the use of wire to
wrap and bend branches has been much longer than a century. That's
based strictly on my casual analysis of photographs and drawings of the
type of refinement styling that was being done in the past. Other
uses of wire, including tie downs, turnbuckles and hanging stones no
doubt preceded this.

BONSAI by Kyuzo Murata (1960) discusses wiring in some detail.
My oldest English-language book on the subject, Bonsai - Miniature
Potted Trees by Norio Kobayashi (1950) Gives the topic one paragraph in
177 pages!

Regards,

Matt


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