Token Kai in Houston, TX

[WillFalstaff]

Hi all,

 

Wondering if anyone knows if there’s an active Token Kai club here in the greater Houston area. I searched, and aside from sushi places, Swords of Japan’s (Ray? Input?) list of clubs has a Dick Marxen as head of a Houston Token Kai. Is this up to date? Anyone have any insight? I don’t want to cold-email/call. 

 

I can’t be the only one around here and I’d hate to start a club of one. I will be going to Collectors Firearms to do reconnaissance real soon. 

 

Any relevant input would be appreciated.

 

p.s.: Texas is a huge state. Can’t just drive monthly to the (insert western state) Token Kai. 

[TexasMatt]

Im here in Houston as well. Ive been looking for one. All of the online searches show outdated info and nonworking phone numbers. Be nice to find one

[jlawson]

There was one many years ago and Dick was the president at that time. Dick has since moved to Dallas and is really not active in swords anymore. There was also a group that met after that when Dr. Ford moved there but after his death that group disbanded as well. There are several collectors there in Houston still, I have moved to San Antonio so a bit far away for a meeting for me. 

[Jaron]

I just joined NMB and new, first time owner of a Katana.  I’ve been looking for something local here too in Dallas.  I joined the NCJSC just to get started and they had some decent topics, like OMI province, Hikone, and the Soten school(the Tsuba on the sword).  Please keep me in mind if you find anything.

 

Thanks,

 

Jeff

[WillFalstaff]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks for the input. So, there is interest regionally. Anybody else with input please reply.

 

I’m going to try to put out more feelers. I’m in the Woodlands area and have some relatives just west of Austin. Time to do some antique arms hunting and seeing if they know more people interested. 

[reeder]

I’m in the Houston area, recently was in Dallas. I knew a few sword collectors in Dallas. Seemed a couple of guys on FB tried to get something going in Dallas a couple of years ago that went nowhere. I don’t really know anyone in Houston that collects. I know of 1 or 2 people but never met them.

[WillFalstaff]

13 hours ago, reeder said:

I’m in the Houston area, recently was in Dallas. I knew a few sword collectors in Dallas. Seemed a couple of guys on FB tried to get something going in Dallas a couple of years ago that went nowhere. I don’t really know anyone in Houston that collects. I know of 1 or 2 people but never met them.

 

Well, count me as a beginning collector here in the Houston area. That's one among a few, at least. 

[Tom Darling]

I recall Mike Q. in San Antonio running sword shows.

[WillFalstaff]

Checked out Collectors Firearms. 
Very impressive collection of historical firearms. Canons, bruh—cannons! (I think they have more than numerous museums have, put together). Forests flintlocks to modern day stuff. Been looking to get a Mosin’s Rifle so I’ll have to go back to do some serious browsing. They also have a lot of armor, helmets, and general militaria. 

 

A very large selection of tosogu. Plenty of tsuba, fuchi-kashira, menuki, kozuka, ko-gatana. I only had a little time to peek at the display cases, so I can’t speak to quality, but I saw prices that to my semi-trained eyes looked fair.

Nihonto, you ask? Not on display. You have to ask. Not sure if they do this often. The magic word might have been when I inquired about “nihonto”. Basically you are guided into the back room and to a collection. I got strange looks from the employees, but that could have been because of the stroller with my son in it
 

I will be going back and talking to the very nice gentleman who took me behind the scenes. We did have a chat about the current state of Japanese sword market and Token Kai in the Houston area, but he didn’t have anything new and exciting to offer. 
 

I encourage all to go and peruse their stock of boom-booms and stabbie-stabs. Go with money. I didn’t, and regret it. 

[pgluke]

Hello,

I am searching for help in identifying what I think is a sword chape. Would there be anyone able to assist if I sent photos?

Thanks.

Pam