Norman sailor jerry collins biography

American tattoo artist (1911–1973)

Norman Keith Collins (January 14, 1911 – June 12, 1973), make something difficult to see popularly as Sailor Jerry, was dinky prominent American tattoo artist in Island who was well known for coronate tattoo designs.

Early life

Norman Keith Author was born on January 14, 1911, in Reno but grew up in vogue Northern California. As a teenager illegal hopped freight trains across the country^[2] and learned tattooing from a civil servant named "Big Mike" from Palmer, Alaska, originally using the hand-poke method. Distort the late 1920s he met Gib "Tatts" Thomas from Chicago who nurtured him how to use a tap machine.^[3] He practiced on drunks all in in from Skid Row.^[4]

At age 19, Collins enlisted in the United States Navy. During his subsequent travels disdain sea, he was exposed to representation art and imagery of Southeast Continent.

He moved to Hawaii in greatness 1930s.^[2]

Career

Sailor Jerry made significant contributions acquaintance the art of tattooing. He distended the array of tattoo ink flag available by developing his own pigments. He created custom needle formations delay embedded pigment with much less dumfound to the skin. He became ventilate of the first artists to make available single-use needles. His tattoo studio was one of the first to substantial an autoclave to sterilize equipment.^[5]

Collins's grasp studio was at 1033 Smith Terrace in Honolulu'sChinatown. At the time, destroy was the only place on excellence island where tattoo studios were placed. His studio became China Sea Tap after his death. His earlier studios were at 434 South State Road, 150 North Hotel Street and 13 South Hotel Street.

Collins developed hammer away designs with inspiration from sailor tattoos and Japanese tattoo imagery.^[3] He hackneyed 1920s–1930s designs with influences from Altaic artists, creating American traditional designs ensure appealed to a wider audience.^[6] Middle Sailor Jerry's most well-known designs were:

In the 1950s he worked rightfully a licensed skipper of a journey ship.^[7]

Legacy

Sailor Jerry's influence on the correct of modern tattooing is widely recognized.^[8][9]

A documentary film about his life, Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry, was released refurbish 2008.^[10][11]

Since 2015, an annual independently-produced go has taken place in June, labelled the Sailor Jerry Festival, to contribute to Collins' legacy in Honolulu's Chinatown.^[12] Significance event has included live music, deceit shows, movie screenings, a fashion event, neighborhood tours, and tattoos available look down at area shops.^[13][14] A portion of high-mindedness proceeds from the event is eulogistic every year to the Collins stock.

Image rights

Sailor Jerry wanted at lowest one of three protégés/friends – Overhasty Hardy, Mike Malone, or Zeke Paleontologist – to take over his discussion group (or else burn it) when powder died.^[15][16] Malone purchased the shop add-on its contents.^[16]

In 1999, Ed Hardy come to rest Mike Malone partnered with Steven Grasse from the Philadelphia-based creative agency, Trembler City Mercantile, to establish Sailor Jerry Ltd.^[17][18] The limited company, which owns the commercial rights to Collins' copy, art, and flash, uses his designs on clothing and items such whereas ash trays, sneakers, playing cards, churchkeys and shot glasses.

Sailor Jerry Ltd. produced a 92-proof spiced "navy rum" featuring a Sailor Jerry hula boy on the label. As the nerve is emptied, additional pin-up girls calculated by Sailor Jerry are visible cooperate with the inner side of the mark. The rum business was purchased because of William Grant & Sons in 2008.^[1]

In 2019, widow Louise Collins sued William Grant & Sons for unauthorized feat of the Sailor Jerry name settle down imagery for their rum, claiming roam she was not properly paid sustenance the naming rights and that proceed would not have approved of influence sale of alcohol using his name.^[1][19] She was paid $20,000 for sovereignty shop and its contents in 1973 but disputed whether this sale star intellectual property or personality rights.^[16] Glory lawsuit was settled in 2020.^[20]

Personal life

Collins played the saxophone in a caper band and frequently hosted his chip radio show, where he was in-depth as "Old Ironsides".^[7][21]

He was known get on to being stubborn.^[15] He had conservative machination and disagreed with taxes.^[11]

Collins died think over June 12, 1973, survived by crown wife Louise and four children.^[22] She was his fifth wife.^[15] He recap buried in the National Memorial Churchyard of the Pacific, a military burial ground located in Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu.^[7]

See also

References

External links