Tattoo Techniques

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Experimental novelty clockwork tattoo machine by unknown maker, America, 1880-1920. Homemade with parts from a "Bee" alarm clock manufactured by Ansonia Clock Company, Brooklyn, New York, ca. 1880. "Ansonia Clock Co." stamped on winding key. Early tattoo artists are known to have experimented with machines of all types. In an 1897 newspaper article, a reporter noted that famed New York tattoo artist Samuel O'Reilly used a large clockwork machine with fifty needles for shading; see St. Louis Globe, Dec. 26, 1897, p. 11. O'Reilly later clarified that it was a clockwork movement articulated with a large coiled spring. Provenance: From the collection of "Tattoo Charlie" Geizer (1905-1980)

The Evolution of Tattoo Machines: From Hand-Poked to Modern Coil and Rotary

For thousands of years, humans have adorned their bodies with tattoos, each mark telling a story of culture, identity, or personal...

thebluebloodstudios

Apr 22 min read

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