Tattooing In America In 1800-1900
It is believed that tribes have been tattooing since well before America was settled, but any solid records of this do not exist. American tribes are given credit for the tribal style tattoos, but the significance of these tattoos is not known. It is predicted they were for social status, or even a permanent camouflage or war paint. Some believe that modern tribal tattoos are in no way related to the original tattoos of
American tribes and the styles of those tribes have died completely.
It wasn't until late 1800 that tattooing first became relevant in America. Before that, it was practically non-existent, due to many religious and social factors that created a negative view of tattoos. Prior and during the Spanish American war and both World Wars, American sailors began getting tattooed and the American tattoo style finally began.
Sailors would get tattoos to symbolize courage, patriotism, defiance of death and longing for family. The American style is known to take other styles from around the world and combine and expand on them. This was made possible because tattoo artists would actually go on navy ships to tattoo sailors on board and other people in various ports. Thus they learned the styles and techniques from foreign artists.
American tattoo artists used a carbon based ink in water, much like today, to make a black ink that would fade to blue over the years, like the standard black used today. The device they used to tattoo was simply several needles attached to a wooden block. They would dip it in the ink and then rhythmically puncture the skin, moving up and down the design that was drawn on previously. Seasoned artists could puncture the skin 2-3 times per second, making it the fastest tattoo process of this time.
In 1891, S.F. O'Reilly invented and patented the electric tattoo machine which was a larger version of today's, using two charged coils, to make magnetic fields with opposing poles to quickly move a wheel holding the needle . This made the tattoo process much faster and more reliable, and more importantly, easier to learn.
By 1900, there were tattoo studios in every major city in America.