David Deck spends a lot of time turning things over. At antique stores or flea markets, the Manheim resident can be found picking up objects and looking at what's marked on the bottom. He's searching for the words "Made in Occupied Japan." David is a member of The Upside-Down World of Occupied Japan (OJ), a nationwide club of collectors that will be convening in Manheim later this month. After a members-only meeting, the club will host an event that's open to the public on Saturday, Sept. 25, beginning at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1258 Newport Road, Penryn.
David estimates that more than 1,000 items from 40 club members will be for sale at the event.
"We'll also do appraisals on site if people want to bring their items," he noted.
In a small building off Route 72 in Manheim, David has amassed an impressive collection of OJ items. Shelves are filled with dishes, tea sets, plates, banks, figurines, toys, lamps and more. Each item bears a sticker, stamp, engraving or embossment that identifies it as Made in Occupied Japan.
As David explained, U.S. forces stayed in Japan from 1945 to 1952, with the goal of helping the Japanese rebuild after World War II. "From 1947 to 1952, General MacArthur declared that anything exported from Japan was to be marked 'Made in Occupied Japan,'" he stated. "It was marked that way so the American people would know it and would buy it to help the Japanese people get back on their feet."
David, who has been collecting the items for about 25 years, will host the Manheim meeting with his brother, Gary. "Getting together with the club is a lot of fun," he stated. "We sit and tell stories and get to know each other, since many of us have only met through Facebook." The brothers have traveled across the country for annual club meetings, including to Nashville, where last year's meeting was held. The OJ club has existed for more than 40 years and is currently run by Shoko Tanaka, who lives in California, and Kathy Gardner, who resides in Indiana.
At 77, David continues to add to his collection and said he expects his youngest son to one day acquire his treasures. Until then, he's always on the hunt for more. "It's an affordable hobby," he remarked. "I love finding different items. You have to look at each one and see if the piece is marked. That's the fun of it."
For more information on the Occupied Japan club get-together, visit https://tinyurl.com/826wkcut. Contact David about buying or selling items at 717-203-3657.
Leave a Review