Bert Grimm
Bert Grimm | |
|---|---|
 Bert Grim in 1982 | |
| Born | Edward Cecil Reardon February 8, 1900 |
| Died | June 15, 1985(aged 85) |
| Other names | Bertram Cecil Grimm |
| Occupation | Tattoo artist |
| Spouse | Julia Florence Grimm (nee Lechler) |
Bert Grimm(bornEdward Cecil Reardon,February 8, 1900 – June 15, 1985) was an Americantattoo artistdubbed the "grandfather of old school". Grimm's work and mentorship contributed to the development and popularity of theAmerican Traditionaltattoo style.[1]He is said to have tattooedBonnie and ClydeandPretty Boy Floyd,among others.[2][3]
Personal life
[edit]Edward Cecil Reardon was born inSpringfield, Missouri[4]to John Elmer Reardon and his wife Carrie Elizabeth Shull Reardon, one of twelve children. He grew up inPortland, Oregon.[5]At some point he changed his name to Bertram Cecil Grimm. He married Julia Florence Lechler on February 7, 1931. Grimm died 15 June 1985 inWarrenton,Oregon.
Career
[edit]
From a young age, Bert would hang around Portland's local tattoo shops of Sailor Gus, Sailor George and Charlie Western and obtained a tattooing kit of his own at around 12 years old.[6] At fifteen years old Bert left home and took up work with carnivals where he learned to tattoo,[4]including a season withBuffalo BillCody’s Wild West caravan.[7][6]
Grimm opened his first tattoo store inChicagoin 1916.[8]Here in the off-season he would work his trade on SouthState Street,while continuing to travel the carnival circuit in the summer months. In 1923 he retired from the carnival scene and shortly thereafter secured an apprenticeship in Portland with Sailor George Fosdick. Less than a year later, he relocated toLos Angeles,where he commenced a two-year apprenticeship with Sailor Charlie Barrs. Both mentors were champions of theAmerican Traditionalstyle which in turn influenced Grimm's own stylistic direction.[4]
In 1928, Bert set up shop inSt. Louis, Missouri,and over the course of 26 years built up a highly successful shop[4]tattooing military men and in-port riverboat workers, and established a reputation as one of "the best ink slingers in the Midwest".[3]
Later Grimm operated stores inHonolulu,Salt Lake City,Las Vegas,Seattle,Los Angeles, Long Beach, Portland, andChina,however he is perhaps best known for his shop onThe PikeatLong Beach, Californiawhere he hosted and mentored such artists as Owen Jensen, Bob Shaw, Lyle Tuttle, Don Nolan, Phil Sims and Dave Gibson.[6][3][9][7][10]
After Bert retired to Oregon in 1965, his three shops in Long Beach, San Diego and Portland were eventually taken over by Bob Shaw.[9][7][3]In 2003,Kari Barbapurchased Grimm's shop at 22 Chestnut Place, now named Outer Limits Tattoo and Museum.[1]It remains one of the oldest continuously operating tattoo shops in thecontinental United States.[11][10]
References
[edit]- ^abUnzueta, Pablo (2020-12-03)."Generations of Ink: Tattoo artist Kari Barba and Long Beach's Outer Limits Tattoo, the oldest continuously operated tattoo shop in America".Daily Forty-Niner.Retrieved2022-06-05.
- ^Lowry, Jess (May 1, 2012)."Tattoo tourism: where ink and travel meet".Lonely Planet.Retrieved2022-11-30.
- ^abcdChesler, Josh (2016-03-02)."From Bert Grimm to Outer Limits, This Long Beach Tattoo Shop Remains the Oldest in the World".OC Weekly.Retrieved2016-07-29.
- ^abcdNyssen, Carmen."Bert Grimm".Buzzworthy Tattoo.Archived from the original on 2019-07-18.Retrieved2024-07-19.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^Dennis, Clarence (2022-05-06)."Midtown Museum to Open Honoring Legendary Tattoo Artist Bert Grimm".Flatland.Retrieved2022-11-30.
- ^abcEldridge, C.W. (2017)."Bert Grimm".Tattoo Archive.Retrieved2022-11-30.
- ^abcLeeds, Jeff (1995-10-20)."Ebb Tide at a Tattoo Landmark: A maritime tradition that flourished at Grimm's is fading along with Long Beach's naval operations. Though old salts sigh, today's image-conscious military frowns on skin paintings".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2016-07-29.
- ^Morse, Albert L. (1977).The Tattooists(1st ed.). Albert L. Morse. p. 6.ISBN9780918320018.
- ^ab"Bob Shaw".Tattoo Archive.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^ab"22 S. Chestnut Pl. A Brief History of Tattoos, Colorful Characters, & The Shop That Won't Stop".Outer Limits Tattoo.Retrieved19 July2024.
- ^"Outer Limits: The United States' Oldest Tattoo Shop".Scene360.Retrieved19 July2024.
Further reading
[edit]- Margo De Mello:Inked: Tattoos and Body Art around the World.ABC-CLIO 2014, ISBN 1-61069-076-1, p. 252
- Jason Brooks:Legends: Tattoo Flash Book.Greg Geisler 2013, ISBN 0-615-76726-5
- Thomas Albright:Art in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945-1980: An Illustrated History.University of California Press 1985, ISBN 0-520-05193-9, p. 319