Five tattoo facts on tattooists

Christiaan Warlich was, without a doubt one of the best-ever tattoo artists to have come out of Germany. Christiaan tattooed for nearly forty-five years in the St.Pauli district of Hamburg. He was 74 years of age when he died on the 27th of February 1964.
Franklin Paul Rogers (1905-1990) moved to Jacksonville in, Florida of the USA in the 1960’s – Where he tattooed with Bill Williamson in a studio on 409 Main Street, FL. When Bill died in 1964, Paul took over the business. But after some trouble in shop in 1970, Paul left it to start tattooing at his new home at no3 Shetter Avenue, which also became the home of Paul’s famous ‘Tattoo Iron Factory. Paul made what is considered in the tattoo world as the finest tattooing machines ever produced – and even-though Paul’s tattooing iron factory was little more than a 12-foot by 6ft tin shed in his back garden, tattoo artist’s from all over the world would travel to Jacksonville just to buy machines and visit the great man.
On the 6th of April 1969, Lyle Tuttle wrote to British Tattoo Artist Ron Ackers, asking him to compile his life story for Lyle’s publication ‘Tattoo 70’. Ron who during the 50s and ’60s was regarded as one of the very best tattoo artists around and indeed had a worldwide following.
2004 saw Kari Barba of Anaheim, California, become the new owner of ‘Bert Grimms' - America’s longest-operating tattoo studio (first opened in 1927) located on the Pike in Long Beach, California, a place that has seen some of the finest tattoo artists in the world working in the legendary studio. The likes of Bob Shaw (Bob moved to the Pike to work with Bert in 1964 and bought it from him in 1969), Dave Gibson, Zeke Owen, Bob Roberts, Don Noland and WL Todd, to name just a few. Larry Shaw and his brother sold the tattooing landmark to Kari after the death of their Mother, Wanda (in 2002), who was the previous owner. Kari plans to reopen it as a museum and tattoo studio - of which Kari herself will tattoo at after renovation work is completed – The studio had closed its doors in 2003 and lay empty until Kari stepped in to save it.
In the 1950s and early 60’s in Blackpool, England – Jamaican tattoo artist Prince Eugene (Lawrence) liked only to tattoo swallows on his clients – and in only the colours of black and red – He also had a novel way of getting more money out of his clients when he tattooed them – by quoting the price of the tattoo and when he was half way through the outline – he would ask if they wanted the bird coloured – and if they did it would cost another five (bob) shillings for each of the colours he put in it (hence black outline ink – and red) - Of course nearly everyone getting tattooed by him – would end up paying the extra to have it coloured in – which was twice as much as other tattooists were charging in Blackpool at the time (five shillings being about the price of a small tattoo back then) - But its said that Prince Eugene could do a swallow (bird) in black and red in about sixty seconds – It’s also been said that Prince Eugene made a very good living by doing this - and was often seen driving along Blackpool’s seafront his big old zodiac car – with some saying he spent more time driving then he did tattooing.

Paul Sayce