MindblownTattoo

But wasn't there one time an assumption that you bought flash because you could make money off of the designs on the sheets. I have heard sales pitches like 'The first time you do this panther the sheet pays for itself." Now some people don't want the panther off the sheet and some flash sheets don't even include line drawings and others would consider it passe to tattoo others flash. These type of factors make me believe some people producing flash would want it to be a collectable rather than a practical tool or money maker. I know there are shops out there where this is not the case but I am completely off the mark here?

Most tattooers that paint flash also do 'proper' paintings as well that aren't meant to be used as flash... It's a lot more enjoyable for me to own a really amazing original painting than a print of some flash that I will never use for it's intended purpose. If I was going to spend a few thousand on some art I'd rather buy a painting from someone like Robert Ryan than spend it on a single sheet of Jerry flash. I get why it's worth that much but it's not something I need to own. For me looking at books of his flash is good enough and maybe one day I'll be in a shop or somewhere that has an original that I can look at and appreciate.

I can only speak from my perspective. I don't wish to comment too much on the reasoning other tattooers design, paint and sell their flash.
Any flash I've bought, vintage or current, has been an investment. That's what I meant by the value of it. The same goes for tattoo machines. I buy these things with the intention of using them. I have more than I can use, but that's not the point. I do like the way they look but they are primarily useful rather than decorative.
Any flash I've produced has been intended to be tattooed by other people. I didn't make them as a promotional tool.
95% of the traditional tattoos I do are based on flash. Often they don't look like flash, unless you have the same sheets as me but they do look like tattoos. I use flash to solve design and layout problems quicker.
I don't have a problem at all with non-tattooers collecting flash and tattoo memorabilia. Lots of people collect things they never use, that's kind of the point of a collection I suppose.