Harry V. Lawson (1882-1950) For such an important tattoo master, not a lot is known about Harry V. Lawson. According to the 1937 Albert Parry book titled, “Tattoo”,  Mr. Lawson…

Yoshihito Nakano (b. 1946), Horiyoshi III received his current title from the late tebori master Yoshitsugu Muramatsu, also known as Shodai Horiyoshi of Yokohama. Sailor Jerry visited and studied Horiyoshi II’s work in Japan…

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Joe Darpel (1900-1968) Bert Grimm tattooed Joe Darpel from head to toe and then Joe took his Bert Grimm body suit on the road and worked as an attraction and…

Joseph Hartley (1882-1945) tattooed in Bristol, England from 1882 to 1945. This legendary tattooist taught Lee Skuse, among others, the art of tattooing.

Juan Leon (1934-??) was classically trained at the Chicago Art institute and Otis Art institute in Los Angeles. He was a Mexican tattoo artist who worked in the movies, drawing “authentic”…

Karl (1905-1982) was born in Ohio. He was a brakeman for the B&O Railroad while being a tattoo artist on the side. Eventually he would become a full-timer after moving…

Lee Roy Minugh (1911-1994)

Martin “Old Martin” Hildebrandt (1825–1890) opened a tattoo shop on the Bowery in the post Civil War era and is considered to be the first tattooist in New York City. …

Owen Jensen (1891-1976) was born in 1891 in Pleasant Grove, Utah. As a young man he worked in the railroad shop in Ogden, Utah. Jensen has said that in 1911…

Paul Rogers (1905-1990)

Tino “Rosie” Camanga (1910-??). Everybody has heard of Sailor Jerry and Ed Hardy, but how about Rosie Camanga? While those two ended up on almost every shirt in New Jersey, Rosie Camanga…

These girls were employed outside a tent on the midway. There are some fabric ties to affix them to the tent wings.  It’s very well done and puts in doubt…

Sailor Jerry (1911-1973) There Used To Be More Sailors In The World While some men set up comfortable homes in the suburbs and saved for better washing machines and lawn…

Samuel O’Reilly (1854-1909) is considered to be the godfather of the American Tattoo, Samuel was tattooing as early as 1875. He developed the first electric tattoo machine based on Thomas…

Leonard L. St. Clair (1912-1980), nicknamed “Stoney”, was a circus performer and tattoo artist born in West Virginia. As a child, Stoney was crippled by rheumatic fever and confined to…

Tattoo-Ole is often referred to as the world’s oldest operating tattoo studio.  The building on Nyhavn 17 is historically saved by the Copenhagen Museum. This shop lasted through many rough…

Tex Rowe’s (1921-2009) flash page design is very distinctive. The centerpiece gypsy and the images radiating out are stunning. His sheets can be deemed authentic by the “8-Ball” numbering system it seems only he…

Tom Berg (?-?) was an English tattooist who came to the United States at the turn of the century. He is known to have tattooed in San Francisco where he…