The History of Flash Tattoos
Lewis Alberts (Far Right) in front of Charlie Wagner’s Electric Tattooing studio (Date Unknown)
If you’ve ever stepped inside of a tattoo shop, you’ve likely been mesmerized by the walls covered with several small designs ranging from hearts, skulls, eagles, dragons, and everything in between. These pre-drawn designs also known as ‘flash’ is a staple in tattoo shops all over the world. Designed to be tattooed quick and efficiently, flash was introduced in early 1900s New York by Lewis “Lew the Jew” Alberts and made synonymous with tattoo artists on the move. Whether it be with the traveling circus or Navy, flash was used to make getting tattooed easier.
Point, pick, and get tattooed!
August b. “Cap” Coleman in his parlor located in Norfolk, Virginia (DATE UNKNOWN)
Along with making designs readily available, flash sheets were often traded and sold to other tattooers as a form of networking and correspondence, all while enlarging flash offerings made available to customers. See below for early examples of flash made by the likes of Sailor Jerry, Percy Waters, Paul Jeffries and Jack Rudy.
Sailor Jerry (Date Unknown)
Paul jeffries - Old Ghosts Tattoo Flash (Date Unknown)
Percy Waters (dATE uNKNOWN)
Jack Rudy — Con Safos (2012)