I don't know if I uploaded these correctly, so I hope the pictures come through along with the explanations.
The first few, of the peacock, skull/top-hat and snake, were done by Al Schiefley. The guy got the tattoos in the early 70's, shortly before Al died. I ran into this guy in southeastern Ohio and asked if I could take his picture. He didn't know what the big deal was, and seemed a little weirded out at first. I told him I liked getting pictures of old tattoos, especially done by guys from Ohio, and after talking with him a few minutes he seemed delighted about it. I also have a couple pictures of Stoney St. Clair tattoos that are on an old guy around here, but I can't seem to find them anywhere (one was a rad little skunk, that the guy said he just did on him freehand). They're on an old photo card. I'll upload them if I find them.
The guy in the stocking cap got almost all his tattoos from Sailor Jerry Collins. I can't remember the exact dates he told me, but I remember thinking they had to have been done before the time period that I read about where Jerry got pissed at the IRS and quit tattooing for a while, so the 1950's I believe. I took the pictures in 2006, and he said the tattoos were like fifty years old. My memory might be wrong, but I think that's what he said. This dude was salty and had no problem lifting up his shirt for the picture. He got tattooed while in the service in Hawaii, and had some rad stories.
The last pictures are of Tex Rowe. I took them while at a convention in Pittsburgh in 2008. Actually, I went with Rich T., and we were both snapping pictures...I think it was his camera and he may have taken the pictures and sent them to me after. In any event, I remember Mike Skiver saying that Tex's back was done by Brooklyn Blackie, and I believe he said his chest was too, although I can't remember for sure (if you know, I'd like to know, thanks). It was pretty cool that Skiver brought him there and was bringing him around the convention. I seem to remember someone telling me that Mike did this for him often, and was close with Tex and his family, which I thought was really neat. Respect. Tex seemed fine with the pictures and it was nice to actually meet him. The dude was not only this rad old timer in tattooing, but I'd heard he was a highly decorated WWII veteran who (I heard) trained where I did (Ft. LeonardWood, MO), though I don't know that for sure. Tex passed away the next year. I got tattooed by Bowery Stan at that convention too, and I know there were a couple pictures of him and Tex, but I don't know what happened to them.
