Philadelphia Area Clubs?

[johngdo]

I was wondering if anyone knew of any Philadelphia area clubs that were active.  I looked around the internet, but the only reference that I could find to a Philadelphia Token Kai lead me to a dead email address.  Does anyone on here know of any more resources in this area?  I'm especially interested in clubs that would be amenable to people that are newer to the hobby attending their groups.

 

Thanks for your help,

John

[Robert Mormile]

John,

 

I don’t have information about a Philadelphia area Japanese sword club but wanted to mention that we have one here in New York City.  In recent months we have received visitors and members from Massachusetts to Washington D.C. and would welcome you to our club.  Please consider attending one of our meetings in NYC as we are just two hours away by train or car. 

 

www.ny-tokenkai.org

 

*Our next meeting is Sunday, March 26^th between 12:00 and 3:00

 

​PM me with any questions.  Thank you.

Robert

[Curran]

John,

 

It was a few years before I began actively collecting, but the Philadelphia club had a dazzling blowout in with the very knowledgeable head went to prison for embezzlement related issues- possibly/partially funneled into Japanese swords and fittings. If a veteran collector want to correct my hash of history, they are most welcome to and I will gladly edit. My Jersey City neighbor, friend, and Nihonto mentor John Prough had been required to testify in Phili at the time.

 

Since then, a Philadelphia club had never formed. It is a shame, as they produced some good reference publications.

When we lived near the South Street bridge, I would just do as Robert suggested and commute from Phili up to the NYC club meetings.

Sometimes the meetings are just so-so. Other times, they can be incredibly educational- as some of the NJ-NY-CT crowd bring in very exceptional items and impromptu lecture from time to time. It is sort of pot-luck.

[johngdo]

Thanks a lot for the info. It's a shame about the Philly club. I'll try to make it up to New York sometime. It's a bit of a hike, but the meetings sound great.

 

John

[Curran]

If you can find a meeting space, it might be time to restart one.

There were several collectors in the area and several very advanced collectors in Southern Jersey, though you've lost one or two of them in the last few years.

[Stephen]

We have a member who started a FB club in NC which turned into Meetings,  i think Markus made a meeting tooGood idea Curran.

[johngdo]

I would love to have a local club, but really don't think that I have the knowledge base to start one.  I only own a few pieces, and fall firmly into the "novice" category when it comes to this hobby.  I wouldn't even know where to start.  I'll give some thought to possible meeting spaces though.  If there's interest in a local club, I'd be glad to help out however I can.

 

John