Semi-Custom Details
Semi-custom sizes and shapes are welcomed. A discussion must happen before a bid on a semi-custom can be given.
Carol Helen Beule has made many unique pots for customers. Many of her pots are semi-custom. The designs on this page represent some of the possibilities. Adjusting the interior sizes is also possible.
Carol loves to see what research you can come up with, and will do almost anything that you can think up, within the guidelines of your price range. To the left is a semi-custom pot just finished in 11/2018 that was completely directed by the client. He chose the molded body to be used and then all of the design elements that were wanted. Expenses were discussed and decisions made by the client based on his parameters.
Goals:
Carol’s aim is to be able to make any pot for an Asian orchid that is wanted, whatever style, shape, color or technique is needed. And while she thrives on complete custom work, she also makes pots that can be standardized and are based on molds she has had made from original pots that were hand built for this purpose. These are far less costly, as they can be made by “pouring" liquid “slip" (a ceramic slurry of water and clay particles) into these molds and then customize as needed.
Click here for
a list of existing Furan pot molds with height, width, and opening information.
Click here for a list of
Cymbidium pot molds with height, width, and opening information.
Hallmarking:
As with Japanese custom made pots, a “HANKO" is used on the inside or underneath of each pot to designate that it was made by Carol. It is often dated on the inside with a copyright designation. If a wooden box is desired as is the tradition for Japanese custom pots of value, it can be provided at an additional small cost. Carol normally delivers a pot in a white box with an antique linen napkin to wrap it in, as it is the custom to wrap pots and store them in boxes in Japan.
Custom Pots:
Completely custom pots are costly and start at $800 for a one-of-a-kind item. Depending on the size of the pot and its design needs, costs can go up from there. A discussion of what is wanted must happen before any type of bid on a custom size can be given.
To make an original shape or size can take up to 1 month to have the
"greenware" finished. Then it is dried, painted or carved, and fired the 1st time. Glazed and fired a 2nd time and finally gold or other special treatments are added in a 3rd or 4th firings. This entire process cannot be rushed as each firing takes more than 24 hours to heat and then cool. Hence, a custom pot can take several months to complete.
Click here to see several examples
of custom pots in this gallery.
In the future this site will feature galleries for one of a kind pots,
commisioned pots, and pots with blooming plants in them.