Wortham’s Shows Web of Tattooed Attractions By Carmen Nyssen During the 1910s and early 1920s, Clarence Augustin Wortham’s “wonderful ability and tireless efforts” took him to the top of the carnival circuit, earning him a multi-show enterprise, complete with a […]
Prof. Jacob Londella: Tattooer of San Francisco’s Old Chinatown Researched & Written by Carmen Nyssen At the turn of the century in San Francisco’s old Chinatown (c. 1899-1906), a visitor seeking the thrill of a tattoo wouldn’t have to look […]
Pacific Northwest Tattooers: Oregon Ben & Friends Researched & Written by Carmen Nyssen The Pacific Northwest was home to an interesting line-up of tattoo characters throughout history, and tattooed man-tattooer, “Oregon Ben,” ranks among them. Although little detail is known about Oregon Ben’s career, […]
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, […]
Tattoos: Magical Iterations of the Past By Carmen Forquer Nyssen Tattoos are magical iterations of the past in that the process of making a tattoo holds their very history: That first mark hearkens back to an ancient moment in time […]
Tattoo History Feature Articles
Tattoo History General
Tattoo Artist Bios
Birth of the Tattoo Trade: New York Bowery Researched & Written by Carmen Forquer Nyssen The tale of how tattooing emerged as a bona fide trade in America is a fascinating account, set in the backdrop of old New York […]
Journey Through Tattoo History Researched & Written by Carmen Forquer Nyssen Buzzworthy Tattoo History is focused on accurately documenting the stories of late nineteenth and early twentieth century tattoo artists—their tattoo journey through time. The late nineteenth century was a […]
Snakes in the Tattoo Biz: The X-Factor Researched & Written by Carmen Nyssen For a minute, put aside tattoo history’s themes of global culture, sailor traditions, and such. Consider snakes. They have a place. In my book, specifics in tattoo history are […]
Buzzworthy Tattoo History Projects: Illuminating Tattooing’s Past; Tattoo Historian Carmen Forquer Nyssen Tattoo Artist Grave Site Documentation: Commenced February 2006, 17 years ago: Diligently researched burial sites of tattoo artists, tattooed people, and related characters on Find A Grave. (Took […]
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 […]
Ben Corday’s Tattooed Nudes By Carmen Forquer Nyssen The tattooed nudes of 1920s Los Angeles Main Street tattoo artist, Ben Corday, bared the selling points of his tattoos. Tattoos as Fine Art Ben Corday was one of the finer tattoo […]
The Case of an Obscure Tattooer: Prof. J.L. Hayes By Carmen Nyssen In tattoo history, we often meet phrases like “obscure historical figure” and words like “ephemeral” (short-lived and out of reach). But such language is all a matter of perspective. […]
J.F. Barber: Tattoo Trade Professional By Carmen Nyssen Jesse Frederick Barber was a popular early tattoo artist-tattoo supplier, who made the most of business. As a professional, he understood the worth of engaging in many aspects of the trade, as well as, the […]
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 […]
Tales of Tattoo Wars and Troublemakers Researched & Written by Carmen Forquer Nyssen Once upon a time in the tattoo trade, when local authorities governed more by random circumstance than regulation, tattoo artists worked under a whole different set of […]
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 […]
