Tattoo Magic on Main Street Original Research/Writing by Carmen Forquer Nyssen Los Angeles’ Main Street was homebase to an A-list of tattooers in the early part of the 20th Century. Within a several block stretch, the talented bunch—including Bert Grimm, […]
Al G. Barnes Tattooed Men: Frank Martin & Bert Price Written & Researched by Carmen Nyssen Circus biographer Dave Robeson asserted that “No half measures ever satisfied…” the great showman, Al G. Barnes. And so it was with Barnes’ sideshow […]
Battleship Kate: New York City’s Tattooed Sailor Groupie Written & Researched by Carmen Nyssen Of all lost and rediscovered tattoo historical items, none has made as spectacular a comeback as the tattooed trade figure inscribed “Battleship Kate of Sands Street.” […]
Owen Jensen: Tattooer-Supplier TraditionBy Carmen Nyssen Born: October 10, 1891 Pleasant Grove, UTDied: July 24, 1977 Los Angeles, CABurial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cypress, CA Tattoo artist Owen Jensen was one of the celebrated entrepreneurs of the tattoo trade, whose […]
Charlie Barrs’ Tattoos Researched & Written by Carmen Nyssen Good ol’ Sailor Charlie Barrs—a quiet man who spoke with a slight German accent and was seldom seen without a stogie hanging from his mouth—was a master machinist-tattooer. That’s his main […]
Cap Coleman: Tattooed Man Turned Tattoo Master By Carmen Nyssen This post picks up from the previous one paying tribute to Norfolk, Virginia’s well-known lady tattooer Lenora Platt. To recap, Lenora made Norfolk her tattooing base for many years after passing through […]
Painless Nell & Hughie Bowen, Tattoo TeamBy Carmen Nyssen In my previous Granddaddy of all Good Tattooing: Sailor Charlie Barrs article from a couple weeks ago, I forgot to mention that Bert Grimm introduced my grandma (his niece) to Sailor Charlie, and […]
Granddaddy of all Good Tattooing: Sailor Charlie Barrs By Carmen Nyssen Sailor Charlie Barrs One very special highlight of my Great Great Uncle Bert Grimm’s career is his working relationship with Sailor Charlie Barrs. Barrs tattooed in a style known today […]
A Roundtrip Ticket to Tattoo: From So. Cal. to Honolulu Written & researched by Carmen Nyssen History of Tattooing in Hawaii: Los Angeles Steamship Co. Before the now renowned tattoo artist Sailor Jerry Collins arrived in Honolulu, a local tradition […]
History of Tattooing: Tattoo Artist Grave Sites By Carmen Forquer Nyssen While browsing the Buzzworthy Tattoo History site, some of you might have noticed that visiting and/or documenting tattoo artist grave sites has been a focal point of my tattoo […]
Bert Grimm Written & Researched by Carmen Nyssen Born: February 8, 1900 Springfield, Greene, MODied: June 15, 1985 Warrenton, Clatsop, ORBurial: Ocean View Cemetery, Warrenton, Clatsop, OR Bert Grimm, born Edward Cecil Reardon, endures as an outstanding figure in American tattoo history. Over an […]
