Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Given the lower mass of this tree trunk, I would bet that this guy is at least a couple hundred years old. Many bonsai specimens are found and taken from the wild by serious practitioners where they are growing on top of rock or in other stress inducing situations which force slow, precarious growth. Much of the character in this tree could have been/probably was wrought by the practitioner but there is no faking that mass.
There are some Bonsai grown from seedlings and are trained through generations of practitioners, but that is relatively rare.
I spent about a year and a half in Japan and was familiar with a couple Bonsai centers there. As I said, I've been fascinated by them since I was a small kid.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Curiouser and curiouser. I read the tag on this bonsai and it's a California Juniper that was donated by someone named Mariguchi. Sounds Japanese and sure appears to be someone who appreciated and was skilled in bonsai. Not sure a California Juniper would have been available to very many afficionados even as recently as 150 yrs ago. Doesn't change the fact that someone, not necessarily at the library really knew what they were doing. Also now represents a big responsibility for someone at the library to keep it going. Been a fan but not as long as you and have seen a lot of people try this to little avail. Nice chatting with you.

Craigdca Loc: California

Stay tuned - I’ve asked a redditor that used to take care of the bonsais there about the age and haven’t heard back yet.