Old tattoo photos

[David Flores]

This tattoo was done on my boss Ross Ferrie by Pinky Yun in 1982. Ross always tells this story of getting this dragon along with many others of Pinky. Pinky basically dipped a toothipick in some black ink gave himself a few reference points and just started tattooing on his arm. Ross admits he wasn't so sure at the time but the end result turned out.

The other photo is Ross and Pinky in 1982 and a painting our friend Ashley did for Ross shortly after Pinky's death. Note Ashley painted this while in New Zealand only from what he remembered it looking like.

[irezumi]

does someone here have a blog called iambossy?

just curious to see who it was that linked my scans to it.

not a big deal though.

[Mr. Frog]

These were done on South State St. Chicago, circa 1960's. Artists unknown.

[mike schweigert]

Irezumi, I apprenticed under Jack in Savannah in 1988 and it was something else haha! It was pre prozac! Deb, it might have been the Inksmith connection, but it was his nature to not welcome other tattooers. In my time there we never had a tattooer visit but some would call and it was always "how slow it is" and that type of thing. He was the most paranoid and untrusting person I ever met and that made such an impact on me.. i still have to keep my back to the wall and eyeball every person that comes through the door. I am sure if you work for Jack you have heard the stories. IF he likes you he has a heart of gold and would give you the shirt off his back. both him and Sharon were so nice to me. I owe Jack everything for getting me into this business.

I will have to go through some pics I have and post them. I have some good ones!

[mike schweigert]

Irezumi, I apprenticed under Jack in Savannah in 1988 and it was something else haha! It was pre prozac! Deb, it might have been the Inksmith connection, but it was his nature to not welcome other tattooers. In my time there we never had a tattooer visit but some would call and it was always "how slow it is" and that type of thing. He was the most paranoid and untrusting person I ever met and that made such an impact on me.. i still have to keep my back to the wall and eyeball every person that comes through the door. I am sure if you work for Jack you have heard the stories. IF he likes you he has a heart of gold and would give you the shirt off his back. both him and Sharon were so nice to me. I owe Jack everything for getting me into this business.

I will have to go through some pics I have and post them. I have some good ones!

[irezumi]

Yeah they have nothing but good things to say about you Mike. They still have some old flash of yours in the racks. Definitely share some of your photos/stories.

[mike schweigert]

let me figure out how to add pics and I will

[hogg]

Just saw this on http://www.theboldwillhold.com/:

Wow.

[Tassos Sgardelis]

This is my best friend George and his grandpa-90years -old sailor- his tattoos are 65 years old and i ll try to have some close pics but the guy is not so easy :)

I m very proud that he is wearing my shops t shirt.

[Ursula]

Eric Inksmith's wife just posted this on Facebook

Paul Rogers on Eric Inksmith 6/8/1982

[jade1955]

Thats pretty amazing for a tattoo thats nearly 30 years old.

[Ursula]

Here's another one that Eric's wife Bev posted on Facebook, she said it was outlined by Eric and colouring and lettering by Paul

[irezumi]

I keep forgetting to ask what magazine this fashion shoot was in.

"fine, funky tradition of needle-and-skin trade" hahaha

[dari]

Wow, irezumi, thanks for those.

[hogg]

That Don Nolan flash!

[Avery Taylor]

Glad to see this thread up and running again. Someone needs to get Nick Collela back into the mix.

[hogg]

Just saw this on Tumblr:

The Tattooed Man, “Don Manuelo”, German. Photo dated 1908.

[irezumi]

That Don Nolan flash!

yeah anything off those sheets are solid winners for sure. i wish we could see more of that snake vs tiger jam.

[Nick Colella]

its been a while since i posted but heres a few more old timers, the anchor and tiger where done on a guy named Chuck Renslow. Chuck was "partners" with Cliff Raven and actually introduced Cliff to Phil Sparrow. Chuck was learning how to tattoo from Phil in the late 50s and decided it wasnt for him, but thought Cliff should pursue it. The rest is history.

The next two images where done in Milwaukee around 1965, this guy said that they where done by two different guys at the same shop. He said he was 15 when he got them and that the tattooers seemed ancient to him, so I am assuming they where done by Tatts Thomas and Amund Dietzel since they where working together at the time.

this post has turned out to be pretty cool im stoked to see how many people have contributed..thanks for doing so i love seeing these old tattoos and how they have aged.

[Avery Taylor]

Nice to have you back Nick. Thanks for the photos.

[Nick Colella]

So heres 3 tattoos by Ralph Johnstone done at what i figured was the 400 S State Street shop that he and Tatts worked until they changed the law to 21 in 1963 and everyone closed shop..

This guy said he was pretty young when he got tattooed by Johnstone but said he was always very nice to him despite the super scary guys that hung out there. He said Johnstone introduced him to some mob guys that used to hang out in the shop when he was there claiming that one of them was Capones brother.

[Nick Colella]

These two where on a guy who came in the shop who was pretty wasted. He said he got the dagger in Lake Geneva at Greg May's first spot "you know by the train tracks before he moved upstairs" that had to be in the late 60s, he said it like it was common knowledge..

not sure about the Playboy bunny

[Jake]

one of the best threads on here. thanks for all the contributions guys.

[abees]

yeah, great thread. my dad got his forearms done by Bob Eagle in 1970, i'll try and get some photo's soon.

[Gregor]

Some excellent old photos of Terry Wrigleys work on the Irezumi Glasgow (Steven Wrigley) facebook site . Especially the studio photos lol ... http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.180546654414.123471.179858484414