Old tattoo photos

[Nick Colella]

Since Chicago Tattoo has been on the same 2 blocks for almost 40 years we get alot of people who come in with old work from Cliff Raven and Dale Grande so i try to take photos of these tattoos to document them.
I often see old timers walking around the neighborhood or in the grocery store and see their tattoos and try to ask about them and photo them, there is just something about talking to old dudes about their tattoos that gets their attention and for the most part gets them into talking about where they got in and when and sometimes they can remember who it was.
Im sure we all do this so i wanted to start a little thread and put up pics of old tattoos that we have all documented.
The first three tattoos where done at Cliff Raven Studios (Chicago Tattoo) by Cliff Raven in approximately 1970.. since i cant figure out how to make these images larger you can click on them to get a better look.


i look forward to the pics
Nick

[Lizzie]

You guys are so lucky to have that kind of stuff happening over there. We're so brand new at my place that we're still settling in, I'm jealous!!

[hogg]

I often see old timers walking around the neighborhood or in the grocery store and see their tattoos and try to ask about them and photo them, there is just something about talking to old dudes about their tattoos that gets their attention and for the most part gets them into talking about where they got in and when and sometimes they can remember who it was.

That's great, Nick. I remember reading an interview with Ed Hardy about 20 years ago (in the old Modern Primitives book) in which he talks about the shame that's been heaped on a lot of old guys for having tattoos. He said that he always approaches them, compliments them on their tattoos, and asks who did them. That really stuck with me, and I'm happy to hear that you're doing the same.

[Nick Colella]

heres a few more..these where all done by Dale Grande at Chicago Tattoo. The dragon is from the mid 70s , the butterfly and the lion are from the late 70s early 80s and the skull is from the mid 80s..

[irezumi]

Fly tattoo from Dietzel on my boss. 1964. $5. About the size of a golf ball.

[aaronkicks]

I had a guy come in my shop who was tattooed by Dietzel 55 years ago! He had a skunk cover up and a panther head. Both were blobs that I couldn't make out and I tried getting a picture of them but when he was finished getting tattooed by another artist at the shop he had left before I was able to get a good pic.

I know alot is to be said about one of our legends out here in Northwest Indiana but I always get bright eyed when I see a Roy Boy piece. Its a shame that his shop closed once he passed away recently. That place was like a tattoo museum!

[Nick Colella]

i was at roy boys a punch in the last 5 years, i thought Roy Boy was rad definitely the last of the last, but museum is definitely not what i thought when i walked into his shop..

[aaronkicks]

i was at roy boys a punch in the last 5 years, i thought Roy Boy was rad definitely the last of the last, but museum is definitely not what i thought when i walked into his shop..

I don't mean like actual museum. He used to have a bunch of old original flash and original tattoo machines from the 60's and 70's he showed me awhile back. He used to have alot of Gill Montie stuff and Spider Webb stuff too along with sweet Jack Rudy paintings. I don't know, I thought it was neat.

[Nick Colella]

For sure he was a trip..he had a bunch of stuff thats for sure..that fire claimed alot of it

[Deb Yarian]

Thanks for sharing Nick
I still haven't been able to upload any pics here. New Mac