Tattoo Stencils, 1920-1922
Add to SetSummary
Tattoo stencils range in material from disposable paper to plastic. Designs were drawn on transfer paper or scratched into plastic with a needle. With plastic stencils, powdered charcoal was rubbed into the lines; Vaseline was applied to the skin. When the stencil was pressed against the skin, the charcoal transferred as an outline. Stencils allowed tattooists to circulate and exchange ideas.
Tattoo stencils range in material from disposable paper to plastic. Designs were drawn on transfer paper or scratched into plastic with a needle. With plastic stencils, powdered charcoal was rubbed into the lines; Vaseline was applied to the skin. When the stencil was pressed against the skin, the charcoal transferred as an outline. Stencils allowed tattooists to circulate and exchange ideas.
Artifact
Stencil (image)
Date Made
1920-1922
Creators
Place of Creation
United States, Virginia, Norfolk
Creator Notes
Made by William Fowkes and John "Jack" Walker in Norfolk, Virginia.
Keywords
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
81.98.5
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Color
Dark purplish blue
Dimensions
Height: 11 in
Width: 15.125 in
Inscriptions
12 WRIST BAND IMPRESSIONS WALTER & FOWKES 601 MAIN ST. NORFOLK, VA (overwritten by the Detroit address) FOWKES | 307 ADAMS | DETROIT MICH
Share Anywhere
Use this Artifact Card to share this great find with others. From historic images to vivid descriptions, a record of rich detail is bundled inside a single card.
