One part history book, one part art book, and one part fascinating memoir, this book is an overview of more than two centuries of tattoo history intermixed with an intimate look at the lives of tattoo artists, and the personal struggles and triumphs, occupational hazards, and artistic courage that have defined so much of this history. For the last forty years, Henk Schiffmacher has poured his heart and soul into his collection, amassing tattoo drawings, designs, photographs, and artifacts from around the world. Each of the book's five chapters features many never-before-seen highlights from this collection and includes lithographs, etchings, tattooing instruments, paintings, photographs, posters, shop signs, original drawings, and tattoo designs known in the business as flash, among them extremely rare vintage flash sheets from major players in early Western tattooing. The vastness and variety of tattooing around the world is chronicled in the book's 700+ images, including the indigenous tattooing of the Māori and South Pacific islanders, the ancient traditions of Asia, and the origins of old-school Western tattooing in Europe and the United States. The book also features a dozen original illustrations by Schiffmacher in his inimitable style, as well as a personal introduction describing Schiffmacher's own journey as both an artist and a collector that has shaped his view of the art's journey from the underground to the mainstream. Schiffmacher brings a fascinating perspective to tattoo history through his personal reflections and wild tales of adventure. In this book, we learn not only about the history of tattooing, but also about the adventures behind the making of one of the largest tattoo collections in the world, by a self-taught tattoo artist in love with the art and its innovators.

Polynesian tattooing has enjoyed a robust revival in recent decades. This compilation of over 200 detailed images presents some of the finest work being done both in the islands and abroad. In addition, 30 of today's top tattooists are featured, presenting their personal histories and philosophical approaches to their work. Tattooist and historian Tricia Allen's extensive research, travel, and networks within the Pacific have made this a "must have" for anyone with an interest in tattoo art.

The Tattoo History Source Book is an exhaustingly thorough, lavishly illustrated collection of historical records of tattooing throughout the world, from ancient times to the present. Collected together in one place, for the first time, are texts by explorers, journalists, physicians, psychiatrists, anthropologists, scholars, novelists, criminologists, and tattoo artists. A brief essay by Gilbert sets each chapter in an historical context. Topics covered include the first written records of tattooing by Greek and Roman authors; the dispersal of tattoo designs and techniques throughout Polynesia; the discovery of Polynesian tattooing by European explorers; Japanese tattooing; the first 19th-century European and American tattoo artists; tattooed British royalty; the invention of the tattooing machine; and tattooing in the circus. The anthology concludes with essays by four prominent contemporary tattoo artists: Tricia Allen, Chuck Eldridge, Lyle Tuttle, and Don Ed Hardy. The references at the end of each section will provide an introduction to the extensive literature that has been inspired by the ancient-but-neglected art of tattooing. Because of its broad historical context, The Tattoo History Source Book will be of interest to the general reader as well as art historians, tattoo fans, neurasthenics, hebephrenics, and cyclothemics.

Tattoo Art is a stunning survey of some of the most amazing tattoo work being done today. Over 140 photographs full of character, colour and attitude showcase the many styles and images with which people are marking their bodies, while a fascinating discussion of tattooing as cultural phenomenon and art form, as well as what some tattoos mean and what to think about before getting one yourself, runs alongside. In addition, throughout the book you will find feature spreads dedicated to some of the most talented and innovative tattoo artists working around the world, with photographs showing the progression of pieces from design or outline to finished tattoo. Whether you are a tattoo fiend, thinking about braving the needle or simply appreciate eye-boggling artwork, look on in awe.

Vintage Tattoo Flash is a one-of-a-kind visual exploration of the history and evolution of tattooing in America. A luscious, offset-printed, hardcover tome—a beautiful and serious addition to the understanding of one of the world’s oldest and most popular art forms. Electric tattooing as we know it today was invented in New York City at the turn of the 19th century. In the first days of American tattooing, tattoos were primarily worn by sailors and soldiers, outlaws and outsiders. The visual language of what came to be known as “traditional tattooing” was developed in those early days on the Bowery and catered to the interests of the clientele. Common imagery that soon became canon included sailing ships, women, hearts, roses, daggers, eagles, dragons, wolves, panthers, skulls, crosses, and popular cartoon characters of the era. The first tattooists also figured out that using bold outlines, complimented by solid color and smooth shading, was the proper technique for creating art on a body that would stand the test of time. In the over 100 years since then, techniques and styles have evolved, and the customer base has expanded, but the core subject matter and philosophy developed at the dawn of electric tattooing has persisted as perennial favorites through the modern era. While most tattoos are inherently ephemeral, transported on skin until the death of the collector, a visual record exists in the form of tattoo flash: the hand-painted sheets of designs posted in tattoo shops for customers to select from. Painted and repainted, stolen, traded, bought and sold, these sheets are passed between artists through one channel or another, often having multiple useful lives in a variety of shops scattered across time and geography. The utility of these original pieces of painted art has made it so that original examples can still be found in use or up for grabs if you know where to look.Vintage Tattoo Flash draws from the personal collection of Jonathan Shaw—renowned outlaw tattooist and author—and represents a selection of over 300 pieces of flash from one of the largest private collections in existence. Vintage Tattoo Flash spans the first roughly 75 years of American tattooing from the 1900s Bowery, to 50s Texas, through the Pike in the 60s and the development of the first black and grey, single-needle tattooing in LA in the 70s. The book lovingly reproduces entirely unpublished sheets of original flash from the likes of Bob Shaw, Zeke Owen, Tex Rowe, Ted Inman, Ace Harlyn, Ed Smith, Paul Rogers, the Moskowitz brothers, and many, many others relatively known and unknown.

An essential A-Z guide to the secret language of tattoos.\\nDiscover the true meanings behind over 200 popular tattoos with this comprehensive book, illustrated with over 100 tattoo designs.\\nFrom sailors' swallows and Mexican skulls to prisoners' barbed wire and intricate Maori patterns, tattoos have been used as a means of communication by cultures all over the world for thousands of years.\\nThrough meticulous research, The Tattoo Dictionary uncovers the history of the most popular symbols in tattoo history, revealing their hidden meanings and the long-forgotten stories behind them in this beautifully packaged book.

A unique illustrated reference on the origins and meanings of nearly one thousand tattoo symbols that serves as a guide for choosing a personal image and provides a fascinating look at the tattoo as a work of art. Tattoos continue to move into the mainstream and grow in popularity with each passing day. For people contemplating getting a tattoo, however, the choice of images can be overwhelming. A comprehensive, informative exploration of the colorful world of tattoos, The Tattoo Encyclopedia presents concise descriptions of symbols both common and unusual and sheds light on their historic, religious, and cultural significance. Organized in a convenient A-to-Z format, cross-referenced, indexed by category, and illustrated with three hundred samples of authentic tattoo line art, this book features a stunning array of images ranging from ancient Buddhist and Chinese designs to those sported by twenty-first-century bikers. The definition of each symbol includes the widely accepted interpretation based on historical fact and cultural source, as well as various interpretations that have developed across different cultures and time periods. Whether choosing a personally significant tattoo, wanting to learn more about a symbol, or simply being interested in tattoos as a form of art and body decoration, readers will discover the richness of tattoo culture in The Tattoo Encyclopedia.

This title includes over 700 full-colour photographs of the work of leading tattoo artists from all over the world, including: Horiyoshi III, Filip Leu, Louis Molloy, Hannah Aitchison, Jime Litwalk, Mike DeVries, Buena Vista Tattoo Club, Adam Collins, Face the Fact, Kore Flatmo, Jeff Gogue, Dan Gold, Good Times, Barba Kari, Cecil Porter, Sarah Schor, Bob Tyrrell, Motomichi Nakamura, Holy Cow and Mick from Zurich. As jam-packed with the very best in tattoo art as the bestselling first volume, "The Mammoth Book of Tattoos", this is a must-have for any fan of skin art. Praise for "The Mammoth Book of Tattoos": "Stellar." ("Skin Deep"). "Excellent stuff." ("Rock Sound").