Tattoo Collection

The Military Tattoo, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

Tattooed Victorian lady, 1897
An example of American tattoo work on a Mrs. Williams. Date: 1897

Torchlight Tattoo of Robin Hood Rifles, Nottingham Market Place - Claude Thomas Stanfield Moore
Oil on Canvas 35.6 x 53.3

Boeing 767-3JHF(ER)(WL) G-DHLF (msn 37806, line number 981), of DHL Air, at the Royal International Air Tattoo - RAF Fairford 8 July 2012. Date: 2012

Jane Couch & Lucia Rijker
Jane Couch and Lucia Rijker Date: 21 June 2003

Sinbad The Sailor. Middlesbrough Date: 1970s

Tattooed masterpiece by Mr. Sutherland Macdonald of Jermyn S
A battle royal in mid-air: a tattooed masterpiece by Mr. Sutherland Macdonald of Hamman Studio, Jermyn Street, London. Date: 1897

Maori Chieftain, New Zealand. Date: circa 1910s

Emma de Burgh, tattooed lady, 1897
Emma de Burgh, tattooed lady. The work on her back depicts the Last Supper, by Da Vinci, and was regarded at the time to be one of the finest piece of tattooing produced in America

Frank de Burgh, tattooed man, 1897
Frank de Burgh, tattooed man, displays his chest and forearms, which bear the name of his wife, Emma, and a forget-me-not motto, depicted on a scroll, held aloft by a maiden

Prince George having a tattoo, Japan 1881
" Everybody, it seemed, tattooed, whether belonging to the ward-room, gun-room, or lower deck, including, of course, both the Princes

Edinburgh Fireworks
An impressive fireworks display from Edinburgh Castle during the famous Edinburgh Tattoo

Shaman mask, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia (B. C. ), Canada, North America
Shaman mask, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, North America

Japanese Tattoo C1900
A TATTOOED JAPANESE MAN Tattooing of this complex and highly-coloured type was at one time not uncommon in Japan

Victorian Scrap - Tattooing - an old custom in the navy. late 19th century

Maori statue with Moko facial tattoo, New Zealand, Pacific

Joseph Daugherty, aged 14, showing off some of his 60 tattoos. Joseph and thirty fellow pupils at Shotton Hall County Modern School, County Durham

Joseph Daugherty, aged 14, showing off some of his 60 tattoos. Joseph and thirty fellow pupils at Shotton Hall County Modern School, County Durham

Joseph Daugherty, aged 14, showing off some of his 60 tattoos. Joseph and thirty fellow pupils at Shotton Hall County Modern School, County Durham

Tamati Waka Nene, 1890 (oil on canvas) by Lindauer, Gottfried (1839-1926); Original painting 101.9x84.2 cm; Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki

An unemployed lumberjack with his wife in a migrant workers camp for the bean harvest, Marion County, Oregon
OREGON: LUMBERJACK, 1939. An unemployed lumberjack with his wife in a migrant workers camp for the bean harvest, Marion County, Oregon. The man has his social security number tattooed on his arm

A Tigray woman has a cross of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church tattooed on her forehead while two silver crosses hang round her neck

Jon Bon Jovi, lead singer of rock group Bon Jovi, pictured ahead of concert at the Bayreuth Arena, Bayreuth, Germany, 25th August 1993

Tattoo-artist, George Burchett, at work on a Tommy
A tattoo artist, George Burchett, in his shop near Waterloo station working on the forearm of a soldier, while a lady who has just received a tattoo of her own, admires his handiwork

WYETH: TREASURE ISLAND. Illustration, 1911, by N. C. Wyeth for Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island
WYETH: TREASURE ISLAND. Illustration, 1911, by N.C. Wyeth for Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island

Somali womans hands covered in henna tattoos, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa

view of a Samoan Pe a tattoo, 19th Century (photo)
1079611 view of a Samoan Pe a tattoo, 19th Century (photo); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Pe a is the popular name of the traditional male tattoo of Samoa)

23-year-old David New, an ardent Don McLean fan has had the latest Don McLean record cover tattooed on his back. He lives in Uxbridge, and is a Labourer on a building site

The Aldershot Tattoo - The Grand Finale! Date: 1939

First Aid Nursing Yeomanry ambulance
Photograph: First Aid Nursing Yeomanry ambulance.One of seven photographs relating to the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY), 1911-1918, and as depicted in the Bath Tattoo, July 1958. Date: 1911

British Aerospace Jetstream 41, of Eastern Airways. Date: circa 2011

SEPECAT Jaguar GR. 3A XX752 - L
Royal Air Force - SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A XX752 - L (msn S.49), of No.16 Squadron, at RAF Cottesmore for the Royal International Air Tattoo in July 2000. Date: 2000

Portrait of a tattooed woman, c. 1905 (Sepia Photo)
1073947 Portrait of a tattooed woman, c.1905 (Sepia Photo); Private Collection; (add.info.: The model is thought to be the wife of Charles Wagner who registered the patent for the tattoo machine in)

The dangers of getting a personal tattoo
" First of All, Mary, theres something awful I must get off my chest." The dangers of getting a personal tattoo - A dapper gent has to admit to a previous romantic liason to his new young

Snake Tattoo
The latest craze for feminine beauty is the tattooing of the back with serpents, butterflies, etc. This picture was taken in a London salon. Date: 1929

Maori head tattoos, artwork
Maori head tattoos. 19th century artwork of tattooed Maori heads. The Maoris, the indigenous population of the islands of New Zealand

Natives of the island of Formosa (Taiwan), depicted as headhunters and cannibals, 1820s. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Bernieri from Giulio Ferrrarios Costumes Antique

The Flourishing of Seven Coasts with Big Fish (Nana ura tairyac hanjac no zu)
6372033 The Flourishing of Seven Coasts with Big Fish (Nana ura tairyAc hanjAc no zu) by Kuniyoshi, Utagawa (1798-1861); (add.info.: Utagawa Kuniyoshi 1798-1861)

Convair CV-240-27 N95 (msn 331, ex ET-29C 52-1092), of the Federal Aviation Administration flying unit, at the 1975 International Air Tattoo, RAF Greenham Common

Blackhawk at Fairford
Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawk 88-26072 from A Coy, 7-227th Avn Bn, United States Army, at the 1993 Royal International Air Tattoo - RAF Fairford 21 to 27 July 1993. Date: 1993

1827 Nukahiva Marquesas tattooed couple
Early Lithographic print by Carl Brodtmann from Dr. Shinz, " Naturgeschichte und Abbilldungen des Menschen der verschiedenen" 1827, with hand colouring

Three runaway schoolboys are very seasick
Three runaway schoolboys suffer greatly from seasickness on an ocean voyage. Date: 1898

SIDESHOW POSTER, c1955. American sideshow poster featuring a tattooed girl, c1955

Womans hand being decorated with henna design, Rajasthan, India

Tattooing - Drunk Tattooist has got carried away
Tattooing - Drunk Tattooist (Professor Smith) has got carried away... " Its taking you a long time to write I love Annie !" Date: circa 1920s

Portrait of a tattooed man, c.1889 (photo)
7078841 Portrait of a tattooed man, c.1889 (photo); Private Collection; Prismatic Pictures .

One of Wyngyno's wives, an Indian leader Powhatan. Contemporary of the colony of Roanoke (North Carolina, USA)
NWI4896075 One of Wyngyno's wives, an Indian leader Powhatan. Contemporary of the colony of Roanoke (North Carolina, USA), circa 1585

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"The Art of Tattoo: A Timeless Expression of Identity and Culture" Step into the world of tattoos, where history is etched onto the skin. From military traditions to stunning works of art, tattoos have captured our fascination throughout time. Intricate designs adorn bodies in a symphony of ink. One such masterpiece was created by Mr. Sutherland Macdonald of Jermyn Street, showcasing his skill and creativity in every stroke. The tattooed Victorian lady from 1897 stands as a testament to the boldness and individuality that they can bring. Not limited to one gender, Frank de Burgh proudly displayed his tattooed body in 1897, challenging societal norms with each glance he received. Meanwhile, the Torchlight Tattoo held at Nottingham Market Place brought together Robin Hood Rifles in a mesmerizing display of unity and pride. Traveling across continents, we find ourselves captivated by Maori Chieftains adorned with intricate tribal patterns in New Zealand. Their tattoos tell stories passed down through generations—a visual language connecting them to their ancestors. Even royalty has been touched by this ancient art form; Prince George's visit to Japan in 1881 saw him embracing Japanese culture through an exquisite tattoo design on his own body—an unexpected twist for a future king. Tattooing is not merely a trend but an age-old custom deeply rooted within societies worldwide and has transcended time and borders—leaving its mark on cultures from all corners of the globe. From shaman masks found on Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia to traditional Japanese designs dating back to the early 1900s—tattoos have become symbols representing personal beliefs, cultural heritage, or simply acts of self-expression. As fireworks illuminate Edinburgh's night sky during its annual festival celebration—a spectacle akin to vibrant ink spreading across flesh—we are reminded that tattoos continue to evolve alongside us humans. They remain an ever-present reminder that we are all walking canvases, each with a unique story to tell.