Sailor Jerry
Encyclopedia
Norman Keith Collins (January 14, 1911 - June 12, 1973) was a prominent American tattoo artist
who was also known as "Sailor Jerry".
. As a child he hopped freight trains across the country and learned tattooing from a man named "Big Mike" from Palmer, Alaska
. Practising on drifters, he later sailed the Pacific Ocean
before settling in Hawaii
. A big brute with a dirty mouth, he often wore plain white T-shirts that exposed his ink-sleeved arms. Mike Malone, who took over Sailor Jerry's shop after he died, described Jerry as "a class-A pirate".
At age 19 Collins enlisted in the United States Navy
. During his subsequent travels at sea he was exposed to the art and imagery of Southeast Asia. He remained a sailor for his entire life thereafter. Even during his career as a tattoo artist he worked as a licensed skipper of a large three-masted schooner, on which he conducted tours of the Hawaiian islands.
Sailing and tattooing were only two of his professional endeavours. He played saxophone in his own dance band and for years frequently hosted his own radio show on KTRG, where he lectured against the impending downfall of the American political system through the infiltration of liberals. He was a prolific writer and carried on in-depth communications with many pen-pals throughout the world.
Norman Collins is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
, a military cemetery located in Punchbowl Crater
in Honolulu. His grave site is 124/Section T.
In 1999, Hardy and Malone partnered with a small independent Philadelphia clothing company to establish Sailor Jerry Ltd., which owns Norman's letters, art, and flash, and produces clothing and an idiosyncratic collection of other items, such as ash trays, sneakers, playing cards, church keys and shot glasses. As an anti-sweatshop
company, Sailor Jerry Ltd. produces nearly all its items in the United States. Items are sold on the company’s web site or from the Sailor Jerry Store at in Philadelphia, which frequently plays host to performances by independent musicians. The company also showcases rising talents with its "Artist Series", which it describes as a way to "keep Sailor Jerry’s legacy alive and kicking".
Sailor Jerry Ltd. produces a 92 proof
spiced Navy rum
featuring a quintessential Sailor Jerry hula girl on the label. As the bottle is emptied, additional Pin-up girl
s designed by Sailor Jerry are visible on the inner side of the label. The rum is distilled in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It takes its influence from Caribbean rum, which sailors would spice with flavors from the Far East and Asia to make it more enjoyable to drink.
Popular symbols used by Sailor Jerry include:
Collins expanded the array of colors available by developing his own safe pigments. He created needle formations that embedded pigment with much less trauma to the skin, and he was one of the first to utilize single-use needles and hospital-quality sterilization. His attention to detail was so precise that the depiction of rigging
in his nautical tattoos was said to be perfectly accurate. Artistically, his influence stems from his union of the roguish attitude of the American sailor
with the mysticism and technical prowess of the Far East. He maintained a close correspondence with Japanese tattoo masters during his career. He regarded tattoos as the ultimate rebellion against "the Squares". He took the bold line style of tattooing and incorporated what he learned from his correspondences with the Japanese masters, known as Horis. He brought this style to the Sailor Jerry Tattoo parlor he opened on Hotel Street in Honolulu.
Sailor Jerry's last studio was in Honolulu's Chinatown
, then the only place on the island where tattoo studios were located. He thrived in the hotbed of competition. His work was so widely copied, he took to printing "The Original Sailor Jerry" on his business cards.
Tattoo artist
A tattoo artist is an individual who applies permanent decorative tattoos, often in an established business called a tattoo shop, tattoo studio or tattoo parlour...
who was also known as "Sailor Jerry".
Life
Collins was born on January 14, 1911 in Reno, NevadaReno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. As a child he hopped freight trains across the country and learned tattooing from a man named "Big Mike" from Palmer, Alaska
Palmer, Alaska
Palmer is the borough seat of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in the state of Alaska, USA. It is part of the Anchorage Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city is 5,937....
. Practising on drifters, he later sailed the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
before settling in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. A big brute with a dirty mouth, he often wore plain white T-shirts that exposed his ink-sleeved arms. Mike Malone, who took over Sailor Jerry's shop after he died, described Jerry as "a class-A pirate".
At age 19 Collins enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. During his subsequent travels at sea he was exposed to the art and imagery of Southeast Asia. He remained a sailor for his entire life thereafter. Even during his career as a tattoo artist he worked as a licensed skipper of a large three-masted schooner, on which he conducted tours of the Hawaiian islands.
Sailing and tattooing were only two of his professional endeavours. He played saxophone in his own dance band and for years frequently hosted his own radio show on KTRG, where he lectured against the impending downfall of the American political system through the infiltration of liberals. He was a prolific writer and carried on in-depth communications with many pen-pals throughout the world.
Legacy of Sailor Jerry
Collins entrusted his artwork to his two proteges, Ed Hardy and Mike Malone, both of whom have become prominent figures in their own right. Hardy, who turned down an MFT scholarship to Yale in order to pursue tattooing, is known for his artistic sophistication and large-scale tattoos. Malone, who designed under the name "Rollo Banks", and was known for his conceptual boldness and distinctive designs, died in 2007.Norman Collins is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is a cemetery located in Honolulu, Hawaii that serves a memorial to those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces...
, a military cemetery located in Punchbowl Crater
Punchbowl Crater
Punchbowl Crater is an extinct volcanic tuff cone located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is the location of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific....
in Honolulu. His grave site is 124/Section T.
Sailor Jerry Ltd.
Anti-sweatshop
Anti-Sweatshop refers to campaigning movements to improve the conditions of workers in Sweatshops, i.e. manufacturing places characterized by low wages, poor working conditions and often child labor...
company, Sailor Jerry Ltd. produces nearly all its items in the United States. Items are sold on the company’s web site or from the Sailor Jerry Store at in Philadelphia, which frequently plays host to performances by independent musicians. The company also showcases rising talents with its "Artist Series", which it describes as a way to "keep Sailor Jerry’s legacy alive and kicking".
Sailor Jerry Ltd. produces a 92 proof
Proof (alcohol)
Alcohol proof is a measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage. The term was originally used in the United Kingdom and was defined as 7/4 times the alcohol by volume . The UK now uses the abv standard instead of alcohol proof. In the United States, alcoholic proof is defined...
spiced Navy rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
featuring a quintessential Sailor Jerry hula girl on the label. As the bottle is emptied, additional Pin-up girl
Pin-up girl
A pin-up girl, also known as a pin-up model, is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as popular culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display, e.g. meant to be "pinned-up" on a wall...
s designed by Sailor Jerry are visible on the inner side of the label. The rum is distilled in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It takes its influence from Caribbean rum, which sailors would spice with flavors from the Far East and Asia to make it more enjoyable to drink.
Sailor Jerry Tattoos
- Bottles of booze
- Snakes
- Wild cats
- The infamous “Aloha” monkey
- Eagles, falcons and other birds of prey
- Swallows
- Motor heads and pistons
- Nautical stars
- Classically styled scroll banners
- Knives, guns and other weapons
- Dice
Collins expanded the array of colors available by developing his own safe pigments. He created needle formations that embedded pigment with much less trauma to the skin, and he was one of the first to utilize single-use needles and hospital-quality sterilization. His attention to detail was so precise that the depiction of rigging
Rigging
Rigging is the apparatus through which the force of the wind is used to propel sailboats and sailing ships forward. This includes masts, yards, sails, and cordage.-Terms and classifications:...
in his nautical tattoos was said to be perfectly accurate. Artistically, his influence stems from his union of the roguish attitude of the American sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
with the mysticism and technical prowess of the Far East. He maintained a close correspondence with Japanese tattoo masters during his career. He regarded tattoos as the ultimate rebellion against "the Squares". He took the bold line style of tattooing and incorporated what he learned from his correspondences with the Japanese masters, known as Horis. He brought this style to the Sailor Jerry Tattoo parlor he opened on Hotel Street in Honolulu.
Sailor Jerry's last studio was in Honolulu's Chinatown
Chinatown, Honolulu
The Chinatown Historic District is a neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii known for its Chinese people and is one of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States.-History:The area was probably used by fishermen during ancient Hawaii but little evidence remains...
, then the only place on the island where tattoo studios were located. He thrived in the hotbed of competition. His work was so widely copied, he took to printing "The Original Sailor Jerry" on his business cards.
External links
- Honolulu's Chinatown
- Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry A feature length documentary exploring the roots of American tattooing through the life of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins
- Sailor Jerry Rum
- Sailor Jerry Music Blog
- More info on Sailor Jerry's tattoo shop and life