Humans have been tattooing themselves as far back as we know.
From the east to the west, man has always wished to mark themselves for various reasons. Tattoos have been used as marks of identification, romantic sentimentalism, emblems of strength, reminders of battles won or lost, and more recently - symbols of individuality or simple decoration. The earliest preserved human bodies from around the world have tattoo marks adorning their skin. There are records of enlisted servicemen from the Revolutionary and American Civil War wearing tattoos. The first “officially” recorded tattoo shop in America was in New York City in 1864 owned and operated by Martin Hildebrandt. Now, there are thousands of tattoo shops and hundreds of thousands of tattoo artists in the world.
Tattooing in America - as we know it today - really hit its stride during the first World War. Many of the designs, machines used for tattooing, and methods of application have not changed as much as one would think. This show is just a small sampling of the world of American tattooing: focusing primarily on mid-western tattoo supply houses and tattoo artists. Percy Waters (Detroit, Michigan) and the Milton Zeis (Rockford, Illinois) supply houses were the largest of their time in the early 20th century. Many of the items and design sheets - sold to the professional and aspiring tattoo artist - were integral to the formation of the “language” of Western-American tattooing. As you look at the imagery on display, you’ll notice a lot of commonality in design and presentation. I hope that the items in this show give you a picture of what tattooing has been like for the past 100 years.
CLINT VAUGHT - Tattooist, Historian & Collector - Crescent City Tattoo & Museum - Evansville, Indiana
Clint Vaught of Crescent City Tattoo & Museum will be offering tours of the tattoo exhibition every Saturday from 1pm-2pm. Tours are complimentary with museum admission. Learn about the history and evolution of tattooing and see some of the iconic imagery and learn about its significance within tattoo culture.