Old tattoo photos

[kylegrey]

Jack from way back .

[Dan S]

Straight from a 70's film set - Chicago Tattoo Company .Instagram

And here's the same corner today...only thing that's the same is the head shop/sex shop/whatever shop across the alley, and The Alley. The pic posted above was taken on Belmont looking west from the south side of the street, and this pic was taken on Belmont looking east from the south side of the street. Note that where CTC was is a yuppie restaurant.

Desecration.

[Dan S]

Did somebody say seventies?!?!?!?!

So, these aren't strictly tattoo pix, wasn't posing to show off the work, just pix from back in the day that happen to show tattoos. In two of them, you can see an original first-edition Chicago Tattooing Company tee-shirt. In the first pic, the guy doing the restraining is wearing ink he got in Milwaukee in the early 60's. Can't see it, but he had a tat we called the "jumping green jesus" on his chest that he got when he was 15, probably the single worst piece I've ever seen come out of a "professsional" shop. The other two pix have work by Dale Grande from CTC in them.

[kylegrey]

Straight from a 70's film set - Chicago Tattoo Company .Instagram

If the first pic resembles something from "Shaft " this must be straight from the wild west .

Instagram

[Dan S]

If the first pic resembles something from "Shaft " this must be straight from the wild west .

Instagram

That would be the front wall looking south onto Belmont. That whole are was stone barrio at the time. Mostly P.R. right there, just north and just east were Whites, lotsa hillbillies, and there wasn't a lotta love to spread around that 'hood. Latin Kings had an open-air dope market in there, just west of the el tracks, and it was real easy to get your head split right down to the pink-meat.

The inside of the studio was actually pretty nice looking, and Cliff had things in there you just didn't see anywhere else, like autoclaves and such. You walked in, and there was an open area, maybe ten feet deep, and then a counter, not quite chest high, but enough to stop someone from doing something ignorant. The whole place was pretty tiny, and if a float was in at Great Mistakes, it would be a line of Squids out the door and down the block.

Funny, but the remembry plays trix, so I may remember it as bigger, smaller, shinier, whatever, than it actually was...it was a year or two ago.

[telbhoy]

Prince Vallar - Tattoo Artist

Hi Everyone...I've attached a couple of old photos of work done by Bert Vallar. Bert was one of the sons of Prince Vallar, who tattooed in Scotland for around 50 years.

Prince Vallar was a society tattooist who was introduced to tattooing through his father, Stephen Vallar, a stage magician who performed all over Ireland, England and Scotland and who shared the bill with Houdini and Wild Bill Hickock. Stephen had realised the popularity of tattooing in the Circus sideshows and urged his son Prince to pursue a career in this exciting new field. Prince modelled himself on the great tattooers of the day including George Burchett, Sutherland MacDonald and Prof Tom Riley.

Tom Riley was a great tattooist, showman, businessman and shameless self-promoter. In 1897 He had booked a 'stance' at Glasgow Zoo which was located in New City Road and was home to various sideshows and exotic displays and he offered '9 different colours and painless electric tattooing for a short period only'

Stephen Vallar, who was always on the lookout for a new attraction' had decided that this was a trade that his Son could excel in and purchased the necessary equipment to allow him to practice the art.

For the next 50 years Prince executed thousand's of tattoos on Sailors, seamen and soldiers from all over the world. Glasgow was the 'second city of the Empire' and was one of the busiest seaports in the western world. His tattoos were proudly displayed in every seaport in the seven seas and his fine line single needle work was instantly recognised by most tattooists on sight.

Prince opened a shop in Glasgow's Argyle Street and taught both his sons Stephen and Bert to tattoo. Stephen did not take to the art as well as Bert and after Prince died in 1947 Bert bought Stephen out and continued to tattoo in the shop until 1964. The tasttooing in these pictures was done by Bert vallar.

For further info and reading on all Scottish tattooing history please visit Prince Vallar - Tattoo Artist Navigate to the gallery and look at the tattoo named @erin Go Bragh'. This was done by Prince.

I hope that some of you find this little insight interesting. I've been following this thread and love the 'old time' stories and pics. Just thought I'd share some of mine with you.

[kylegrey]

Jonathan Shaw NYC .

[heathenist]

This is probably the coolest thread on this entire forum. I could look at stuff like this all day, keep it coming. I'd contribute if I had anything. Apparently I have a much older relative who is covered in tattoos, wish I knew who he was or could get some pictures or something, maybe I'll ask around.

[Jack]

Can we all agreed that captain elvy is the standard for male beauty?

Thanks. I thought so.

[heathenist]

If you put a thumb over his head, sure.

[kylegrey]

Can we all agreed that captain elvy is the standard for male beauty?

Thanks. I thought so.

How bout Titine Leu's vision .

[irezumi]

[phickey]

My dads eagle done in south Chicago in 1983

[MadeIndelible]

[Duffa]

This is so gangster

[kylegrey]

This is gansta too still flexin hard .

[cfgsteak]

I got those pic of my dads panther head this week. He had this done in Osaka Japan in 1957. He doesn't remember much of that shore leave. He does remember that the tattoo became badly infected and after he got back to his sub all he basically remembers is waking up 3 days out to sea.

[Dan S]

I got those pic of my dads panther head this week. He had this done in Osaka Japan in 1957. He doesn't remember much of that shore leave. He does remember that the tattoo became badly infected and after he got back to his sub all he basically remembers is waking up 3 days out to sea.

HATE when that happens!!!

[heathenist]

I'm stealing these from a friend on facebook, too good not to post here.. They are on his granddad who got them from Paul Rogers and R.L. Connelly (not sure who did which) sometime between 1952-53 in Jacksonville, NC. This is after 50 years of working in construction.

[abees]

i asked Paul Sayce's permission to post this here.. there are some great pictures.. -

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tattoo-Club-Of-Great-Britain/121932417869208?sk=photos

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tattoo-Club-Of-Great-Britain/121932417869208

i'd encourage you to click on 'about' and then 'see more'.. for some information.

Also the Tattoo Club of Great Britain/Lionel's Tattoo Studio is where Curly works. Lionel's collection used to be on display as the British Tattoo History Museum, and can be seen at the London convention. If you go down to the 'Photos of Tattoo Club Of Great Britain', and starting on the third row from the bottom, starting with the sheet with the death before dishonour, you can see some of the old English flash.

[kylegrey]

Cool shit the Greg Irons Tattoo Life Cover is a gem.

[Avery Taylor]

That Don Nolan flash!

A couple of friends of mine just bought about 60 sheets of his old flash. I am going down to see them this weekend. He told me it is some of the coolest stuff he has seen.

[Kev]

Not sure if Bon Scott's tattoos made it on here:

[Duffa]

"For Those About to Rock We Salute You"

[jade1955]

Saw Bon Scott and AC/DC live in Oxford in 1976.

Bon hurt himself when he fell off the stage. He carried on the last couple of numbers sitting on a chair.

Great band!