Old tattoo photos

[kylegrey]

Sounds great I love Lee Roy Minugh's flash .

[Will]

  kylegrey said:

Paul Rogers , Les Skuse , Huck Spaulding 1956 .

This is a great photo! What a bunch of guys…Such atmosphere in the photo too.

Thanks for the heads up on the Facebook page,

Will

[InMyHeadAche]

I spoke with an old Korean/Vietnam Veteran for about 10 minutes at my work today about tattoos. He said he got these down at The Pike 51 years ago, but couldn't remember the exact artist who did them.

[irezumi]

Ever since I became aware of what the world of tattooing is, I've also been aware of the closely guarded secrets and the policy of not sharing the gold. And it's a good policy. Not everyone deserves to see the end of the rainbow.

And then there's other times where I see that keeping everything to yourself or the immediate close circle isn't always necessary, or that it's more like brass not gold.

I also scanned the Rudy interview from the same old copy of TA that I scanned and posted the VyVyn article from in that other thread. I tried to make the scans less crooked this time. Seems to be the best place to post this.

[mtlsam]

Here is a picture of a lion tattooed on my friend's father. He got it done in San Francisco in 1975, got the colour redone in out west in Canada in 1985.

[smiling.politely]

I have a few I can post a bit later today, when I can resize them. We had an old timer in with his granddaughter when she got tattooed, who had just gotten a rose while visiting California, and was showing us his old tattoos from the mid-60s. Done in Chicago, Hawaii, and San Diego, so I know we were looking at some gold. I have a few others here and there I can dig up as well, but those are the ones that stuck out in my mind...

[smiling.politely]

This one will be a bit photo heavy...

First one is on a fellow who came in and got a family crest on his forearm, said he got this 30 or so years ago early in his time in the military, but couldn't afford the lettering the first visit. He had to go back a two weeks later to add it.

Second one is on a guy who came in from meeting my dad at the VA. He got his somewhere in Kentucky, also early in his military service.

The rest are on the fellow I mentioned earlier who got his in 1964. If I recall, the Hot Stuff was in Chicago, the hula girl was in Hawaii, and the rest were either Hawaii or San Diego. The last one is the only one we couldn't easily decipher... theories were mostly a heart/banner/leaves design, or a sparrow.

[hogg]

Those double sharks on the chest are cool as hell.

[smiling.politely]

I'm always stoked that some (if not most) of the guys with work like that will let us photograph them. They seem to be stoked that we're as interested in them as we are, and are glad to have someone willing to let them talk an ear or two off.

Also, the Hot Stuff is facing backwards on that gentleman's arm... I would assume it's because they didn't have an acetate facing each way.

[hogg]

  smiling.politely said:

Also, the Hot Stuff is facing backwards on that gentleman's arm... I would assume it's because they didn't have an acetate facing each way.

A friend of mine (with an incredible collection) once told me about an old timer in DC. I'll have to find out his name, but if you went to him for your first tattoo, he would only do a Hot Stuff. Facing backwards. I wonder if your client went to the same guy? Probably not, but I like your acetate theory better.

[beez]

  \ said:

Ever since I became aware of what the world of tattooing is' date=' I've also been aware of the closely guarded secrets and the policy of not sharing the gold. And it's a good policy. Not everyone deserves to see the end of the rainbow. And then there's other times where I see that keeping everything to yourself or the immediate close circle isn't always necessary, or that it's more like brass not gold. I also scanned the Rudy interview from the same old copy of TA that I scanned and posted the VyVyn article from in that other thread. I tried to make the scans less crooked this time. Seems to be the best place to post this. [/quote']

Goddammit @irezumi, you rock my f-ing world! Thanks so much for all these scans!

[HettyKet]

What a great thread! Can't believe I've only just found it! Some of the unnamed tattooed ladies I can help with, I think.

The others I have to go back for - didn't show the photos in my multi-quote attempt... So much fascinating stuff - can't possibly thank everyone individually - this post shall be way to long as it is :o

But, yes.

  Boodah said:

Anyone know who this is or who did the tattoos?

She's one of the few I've not been able to track down a name for. The whole look and feel of the photo suggests she might be a private individual rather than a circus girl - the setting looks rather aristocratic to me. No other photos of her to be found either, also reasonably unusual.

  SStu said:

I sure wish they could have captions and credits.

  Our Endless Days said:

@SStu i thought the same thing. First rate journalism right there.

Tell me about it! <grr>

  kylegrey said:

Edith Burchett , wife of George Burchett .

Huzzah! I've been trying to find out her name for an age - she's one of my references so felt a bit of a prat for not knowing. Another shot of her here:

  Graeme said:

Here are all the photos printed in George Burchett's posthumously published book, Memoirs of a Tattooist. The book has been out of print for a long time--my copy was published in 1958 and there was an American paperback version published in, I think, 1961, and there have been no reprints of it to my knowledge--and it's very possibly even in the public domain at this point which is why I'm posting it. Admins, if this isn't okay please feel free to delete this post because while I think this is worth sharing, I don't want to step on anybody's toes here. Apologies for glare, shadows, etc.

Oh that's fascinating. Thanks for sharing! I found these online, so you've probably seen them already. Still nice to look at though.

http://earwigbiscuits.tumblr.com/image/1203712082

A painting: Edith by George Burchett, c.1900. Oil on canvas on board (Collection of Lyle Tuttle)

http://earwigbiscuits.tumblr.com/image/1203732354

Tattoo flash by George Burchett, c.1900 (Collection of Lyle Tuttle)

I have a sneaky suspicion that Madiah Surith was tattooed by him, no proof at all though! Her work is a lot like Edith's though.

I really love the spiderweb flash. Just my bag.

- - - Updated - - -

Madiah Surith

- - - Updated - - -

Oh heck, the tread didn't seen quite so long while I was reading it. I remember Maud Wagner (wife of Gus Wagner) being linked twice but not named. All I know is that Gus taught her to tattoo (in trade for a date, they say) and that she was also an aerialist and contortionist in a circus. Here she is:

Other than that, if any one is interested, I have a good few tattooed ladies with names saved that I can post up. Not so much success on finding out who tattooed them though, I'm afraid. I've do have a good series of Jean Furella Carroll, tattooed by Charlie Wagner, taken a several points in her life. Just stuff from online but I've not found it in one place yet.

[HettyKet]

Oh, seem to have a good few of more of Stella Grassman as tattooed by Deafy Grassman than I thought. Artoria (Anne Gibbons) by Charles "red" Gibbons too.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, crikey, Lady Viola by Frank Graf! How could I forget her, she's utterly lovely. A good few of her, this is the best but not enough leg

leg - note that those little 'flowers' on her thigh are actually portraits. Charlie Chaplin in clearest in the photo.

[hogg]

I finally got around to reading that Jack Rudy article today. Thanks, @irezumi! Definitely hadn't seen that one before.

[9Years]

@smiling.politely Thanks for sharing! Some really cool stuff in there.

I totally agree with @hogg...those chest sharks are totally killer! Love seeing stuff like that!

[Gregor]

@HettyKet not sure if you (or someone else) posted this or not (I cant keep up ) thought it might interest you anyways

History of women's tattoos: From Native Americans to cancer victims' 'tatts' instead of breast reconstruction | Mail Online

[HettyKet]

Thanks @Gregor ! Great resolution on those photos. I'm ashamed to admit that as a british person living elsewhere I read the DM sometimes to remind me why I left, so I'd seen it :o There's no excuse though really is there!

[Gregor]

@HettyKet the daily mail is the last place I'd have expected a piece like that to appear in , no mention of princess Diana anywhere lol ! Still it's always fun to read the readers comments ...

[HettyKet]

Hell yes @Gregor, no Diana, no feckless benefit scroungers, what's teh world coming to!

[cltattooing]

Cap Coleman (I think)

Bert Grimm (I think)

[Johannes]

the coleman one...aloooot of black in that one :) the other on can't be by anyone other than grimm. it's so his style.

[cltattooing]

Hell yeah! The only reason I say I think that those are the artists is because they aren't credited in the book. I am just going on style alone, but I'd be pretty surprised if those guys didn't do those backpieces.

Just so killer, each one is so strong in its own right.

[HettyKet]

Ooh, lovely! @clatattooing

A couple more Bert Grimm 'cause I love him so

1918

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, and does anyone know anything about these photos? Found them uncredited on line but they look maybe Burchett-y to my untrained eye. Pretty sure they're the back nad front of the same man

- - - Updated - - -

Ah, he was here already all nicely coloured in:

  kylegrey said:

How bout Titine Leu's vision

.

Was WRT the fab suggestion that Captain Elvy should be the new standard of male beauty, which would be Very Nice Indeed. Although, as a Laydee I'd vote for Painless Jack Tyron any day. Am a bit of a Prof. Wagner groupie though mind :o.

[Johannes]

looks american...so my guess is not burchett...but i have no clue who might have done it..still more awesome than most modern tattoos :)

[HettyKet]

yy, it does look reasonably American, I agree. particularly the back. But, the botanical work (phenomenal, check the hops between the eagle piece and flags on the chest) and butterfly wings / fairy girls are a lot like Edith Burchett wears. I've seen American looking flash of his too. Beautiful whoever did it, would love to know.

Edith

Burchett flash

from "King of Tattooists; The Life and Work of George Burchett"