The Godfather of Tattooing

 

 

Around the dawning of the 20^th century was the time when tattoo masters first started to develop their skills. There were none as brash or as brilliant as Norman Keith Collins; Sailor Jerry that is. He seemed to be America’s spotlight, shining a new light on tattooing in a time when it was mostly practiced by an obscure number of America’s population. The electric tattooing machine was still brand new, and the quality of tattoos, as well as tattooing conditions were not regulated. Tattoos were good, bad, and unsanitary. Sailor Jerry’s mission was to tattoo well, but he ended up turning an oddity into a breathtaking art form.

It’s said that Norman Collins was a troublemaker from the moment he was born in 1911. His father gave him the nickname, “Jerry” after he noticed his son had the same rebelliousness disposition as their mule, Jerry. (Weiss) At an early age, Jerry often found himself in trouble for tattooing his classmates. He ended up learning how to hand-poke tattoo while he was seeing America by way of the freight train. During his adventures he met Big Mike of Alaska who taught him some tips of the trade. He eventually ended up in Chicago in the 1920’s where Gib “Tatts” Thomas taught Jerry Collins how to use an electric tattoo machine. (Weiss) Collin’s wit and joking nature helped him secure friends quickly; this allowed him to train and pick up tattooing tips with ease, he practiced this trait throughout his whole life.

Norman Collins

Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 19 at the Great Lakes Navel Academy. This actually helped his tattooing even though he stopped all together! He gave up tattooing because of a disagreement with the IRS. Nevertheless he was able to experience other countries. Sailor Jerry, which everyone was now calling him, was exposed to many new cultures and art. He was able to learn East Asian art forms and tattooing techniques from a Japanese tattooing master known as Horis. Sailor Jerry relocated to Hawaii, he would remain there for the rest of his very active days. He got back to tattooing and down to business.

Just think, a bunch of merchant marines and sailors, on leave with money. It was a common thing for these sailors to be in lines outside of bars and shops, waiting for their 4 shots, a prostitute, and a tattoo (instead of a doctor’s visit). (Weiss) He worked Downtown Chinatown, Honolulu on Hotel St., it was a place where anything goes. He was a big guy who could hold his own, especially when he would get into fist fights over his raise in prices. Jerry’s trademark tattoos revolved around what he loved patriotism, anchors, weapons, hearts, and swallows.

At the end of World War II Sailor Jerry came back to Hotel St. and went back to tattooing. He had to rebuild his whole business. He realized that all of these men and woman were receiving tattoos in crap conditions and in return had huge sized scabs over their new tattoos plus long healing periods. Everyone was drunk, no one was clean or wearing gloves, and no one washed their equipment. (Weiss) Equipment means their tattoo guns, tubes, and needles! Blood borne disease was very much alive and it was tearing at tattooing's increased popularity. To counteract this, Sailor Jerry sought to implement hospital standard regulations in his shop. He was among the first to use single use needles and tubes, and an autoclave for sterilization. He created better battery sources and new needles formations that lessened the trauma to skin while it’s being tattooed. All of this helped the reputation of his craft among Americans.

Flash Art

Sailor Jerry was ingenious with tattooing and art. He was able to create a new genre, were he joined the traditional big bold black lines with American stylized Japanese art. He created a new way of water blending tattoo. He found a human-safe color purple! After writing ink companies for a free sample of purple ink, he’d use it to tattoo himself. In fact, that is how you knew he liked you. (Weiss) Sailor Jerry was a fierce defender of his trade, a real secretive man. A lucky select few became an apprentice of Sailor Jerry: Mike “Rollo”Malone, Don Nolan, Cliff Raven, and Don Ed Hardy are some bigger names. Ed Hardy as we know him today, was his favorite and became one of his closest confidant. Jerry even wanted to leave his studio to him when he was on his deathbed. Hardy is well known today from franchising tattooing and flash designs.

While traveling American and eventually the world, Sailor Jerry was uncovered his talents for tattooing. He is responsible for safer tattoos, cleaner tattoo studios, superior art techniques, and he motivated others to be better. His inquisitive nature for art conjoined with his love for sticking it to the man made him the Grandfather of tattooing.

By the way, I  really recommend the documentary, "Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry: The Life of Norman K. Collins".  It has a great anecdotes. Plus, you can rent it from Amazon.com for $3 dollars.

Pictures and Information

·        - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_Jerry#mediaviewer/File:Norman_Keith_Collins.jpg

·        - “Norman Collins.” http://sailorjerry.com/norman-collins/. William Grant & Sons. Web. 2012. 
         - Weiss, Erich, dir. Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry: The Life of Norman K. Collins. South by Southwest Film Festival) 2008. Film.

Tattooist Up In N.Y.C.

tattoo device

The new tattoo machine hit the market in 1892, a year after it was invented by Samuel O’Reilly. He was an engineer and tattooist, he took the trade of tattooing and shaped it into an industry by way of the first electric tattoo gun. Probably less known in today’s public is Charlie Wagner. He improved the tattoo machine in 1904. He changed the coils to a vertical position, which is how most of us picture a tattoo gun today. He worked in the tattooing industry for over 50 years, he really made a name for himself by tattooing sideshow celebrities. They all sought after him because of his fast and less painful tattoo gun. Wagner’s most well-known customer was Mildred Hull. She was a dancer of sorts and a side show performer. After getting tattooed by Wagner for a number of years, she followed in his footsteps and started tattooing. They both set up shop in the back of a barber shop on Bowery Street in New York City. They both got into the tattoo supplier trade. Millie was not the first women tattooist,but she was the first women tattooist in New York.

Millie and Charlie

Off topic: For those who want to know Maud Wagner of Kansas was the first woman tattooist in America, she learned the craft from her husband, Gus Wagner.