[Ads-l] Antedating of "Bonsai"

Peter Morris peter_morris_1 at BLUEYONDER.CO.UK
Sun Sep 6 07:16:25 UTC 2015


Here's one from 1901. Google search gives text as:
  A remarkable variety is gathered there, trees and shrubs made into curious shapes and carefully attended to by specialists ... Bonsai is 'the miniature of the forest tree, in pot, or on tray, by art of tree training, and Bonkai is 'the miniature of a ... 
The snippet view shows the date clearly, but not the quoted text. Although the title Japanese Dwarf Trees is a good indication.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=zdVFAQAAMAAJ&q=bonsai+trees&dq=bonsai+trees&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDIQ6AEwADgKahUKEwiD87XD6-HHAhUDLNsKHUsJDc4


Here's one from 1900
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ei5IAQAAMAAJ&q=bonsai+trees&dq=bonsai+trees&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAjgKahUKEwiD87XD6-HHAhUDLNsKHUsJDc4


Here's one possibly from 1894, if we can trust Google dating. 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9mPWq7JrtRUC&dq=bonsai+trees&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=bonsai

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