1943 S. Main Street Tattooers: Harry Lawson, Pat Dimidies, Duffy
By Carmen Nyssen
1943 South Main Street Los Angeles Tattooers
Because 1940s and 1950s Los Angeles City Directories rarely listed tattoo shops, investigating local tattoo history for this period is a bit hit-and-miss. Fortunately, every now and then, little gems like this turn up: a photo depicting two circa 1943 South Main Street tattoo shops and a corresponding City Council File describing the tattoo artists who operated them.
Depicted at 429 S. Main Street is Harry Lawson’s shop (to the right of the Rosslyn Theatre). In 1943, he had just moved to Los Angeles from San Diego, due to the strict regulations the City of San Diego instated in June of that year. Pat Dimides and Lawrence Duff (aka Duffy) shared the shop at 433 S. Main Street (to the left of the Rosslyn Theatre).
1943 Sept 2: Los Angeles City Council File 15670: Tattoo Shops
“At 429 Main St. in rear of jewelry store is Mr. Lawson very old man has palsy and wry neck very nervous, bad heart coughs a lot has clean shop newly remodeled has good pictures on wall painted by fine artist a Mr. Ben Corday now dead, fancies self as dean of tattooers, at one time was said to be very good, hates other tattooers, talks mostly of race horses and money he made on suckers in San Diego from where he came two months ago, was forced to leave there because unable to pass physical examination for license which has recently been put into effect by Naval order was born in British Empire no police record here. Wants high license fee.”
“At 433 Main Mr Dimides old man about 65 pleasant, old time Navy man, has been in the business many years, disabled in Navy in last war, is fair tattoer but has no art training Shop is clean, observes code against tattooing young boys and girls was at one time terrible drunkard several arrests for some no other police record known.”
“At same address 433 Main is Mr. Duff is about 50 fat, inoffensive knows nothing about art very poor tattoer worked most of life as pitch man and sidewalk salesman also house to house, many arrests for this work because of no license no other police record out.”
♦Originally published on Carmen Nyssen Tumblr page “Tattoo Tidbits” c. 2014
See Buzzworthy Tattoo History research article Tattoo Magic on Main Street by Carmen Forquer Nyssen for more background on the life and livelihood of tattooing on a typical Main Street thoroughfare, illustrating an A-list of tattooers and more!
See also the Tattoo Archive’s Life & Times of Frank and Annie Howard, c. 2014, for my research on the Howards, Boston tattooed couple, as well as, Harry Lawson’s partnership with Frank and his theft of his tattoo machines and designs.
For more of Carmen Forquer Nyssen’s Harry Lawson research see Buzzworthy Tattoo History articles:
Harry V. Lawson’s Norfolk Tattoo Shop (with Lew the Jew Alberts aka Albert Kurzman, et al)
Questions or Comments? Email:
carmennyssen@buzzworthytattoo.com
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