I'm not sure what you mean by geometric dark pottery. Also it would be impossible for any of us here to know what you consider 'reasonably priced'. That aside, I would recommend that you visit the link below and check out the Houtoku pottery. It is a good basic Japanese pottery.
Good luck,
zube

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonsai Monk

Hi, I'll assume by geometric you mean rectangular, square, etc. rather than traditional house plant terra cotta pots, and if you Google Mica bonsai pots you should find a few places to look at... Mica pots are made of a 'composite' of some kind, very strong, lighter than pottery, and hold water a bit better, come in a few colors only, and are cheaper than pottery, and while they are not used for trees on display in shows, they are terrific for everyday use and many of us who need lots of pots we can carry (and afford) use them all the time. They look just like regular bonsai pots, and certainly better than the cheap black plastic many bonsai are sold in.

Being an independently wealthy multi-millionaire, I would consider anything in the $25,000.00 range to be reasonbly priced - tray included, of course. Actually, since I am not familiar with pricing, maybe you can give me some idea what I can expect to pay. The pots I found were either glazed or painted with a dark matte finish, made of clay and stamped on the bottom with Japanese symbols, as well as "Made in Japan". The oval ones were about 8" and sold for about $50.00 to $60.00. Being used to the inexpensive, run-of-the-mill clay pots from Mexico and Italy, I thought this was a little on the pricey side. But then, since both the plant and pot are parts of the total art, maybe that is a bargain.

It might help to know what you're paying for when you buy a bonsai pot. The better pots are high fired, much higher than the kiln temperatures used for terra cotta. That means they are comletely vitreous--impervious to water. They don't give up moisture through the sides, like terra cotta and tend to be a little tougher. The high firing also tends to warp and destroy alot of bonsai pots from the outset. They're more expensive because they are more expensive to produce.

They're frost resistant--the good ones (and there are many grades) won't crack when frozen. This may or may not be an issue for you depending on where you live in Ariz. and if you're keeping "outdoor" bonsai.

Lastly, but not leastly ;-) a good bonsai pot should complement the plant that it holds. This aspect is one of the hardest to learn. Think of the pot as the frame for your plant, like a picture frame complements a painting.

The right combination can make a mediocre bonsai look like a great one.

A good link and place to start is listed below. The folks there can point you in the right direction.

Here is a link that might be useful: Phoenix Bonsai Society

Excellent information. Thanks!

Wolfboy, if they have a matte finish they are most likely unglazed and are used for conifers. Some of the best pots today are coming out of China.

Chris

Chris, you're right about China. There are great to excellent pots coming from there. Some of the worst pots on the market also come from there too;-)

The best ones are made for the Japanese bonsai market. There is a great supplier here in the D.C. area who managed to get his hands on a big shipment of Japan-bound Chinese pots (the original buyer in Japan couldn't complete the deal).The D.C. supplier had a big table at the WBFF convention here over the weekend. The pots are the equivalent of Japanese tokoname and are about half to one third what those cost.

It's worth trying to find the good ones.