Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: February 9th, 2006
Tats & Rings
Miami Beach, Florida, 1955
A well dressed tourist out on the town casts a long hat-wearing shadow. He strikes a casual yet confident pose near, but not too near, a guy who quite clearly knows what it feels like to get a tattoo and maybe even hang from tender body parts that people don’t usually hang from. This guy is a walking billboard for tattoo art and a sampler platter of styles for you to be inspired by. Is that a mushroom cloud on one leg and a Native American on the other? Is that a swallow I spot on his right shoulder and some thorny roses on his left inner thigh? And how about that skimpy swimsuit! Is that uniform? Perhaps the belt keeps it from falling off when he’s hanging. OUCH!
In the realm of vintage photography there is no question this slide falls into the “The folks back home will never believe this!” category. I’m sure the folks back home were shocked! I’m shocked, aren’t you? And it’s fifty years later.
I was inspired to share this salty slide with you while talking to a mysterious yet approachable guy last Saturday night at a party. I couldn’t help but notice that he had tattooed flames burning from the neckline of his torn t-shirt. Turns out he’s a tattoo artist at Incognito Tattoo, a tattoo parlor in Pasadena. Explaining that I collect other people’s old slides he asked if I’d ever run across any shots with tattoos. Well, here it is! For all I know the guy I was talking to is covered from head to toe, too.
According to the legend the first tattoos in the United States were done at the turn of the last century in Chatham Square, a seaport in New York City. And the first man called a tattoo artist had trained as a wallpaper designer. Of course! That means tattoos and wallpaper are related.
Here’s to the well dressed tourist, Mr. Tats & Rings, and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
February 2006
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22 Comments on “Tats & Rings, Miami Beach, Florida, 1955”
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February 10th, 2006 at 12:17 am
Oh my God, is that Tony Curtis??? He looks so much like Tony Curtis.
February 10th, 2006 at 8:55 am
I was trying to think of some cool wallpaper for the bathroom. Think no more ! You got to love this guy. What a party waiting to happen.
February 10th, 2006 at 9:15 am
Wow. This guy is painful just to look at. Was he part of some kind of show perhaps?
February 10th, 2006 at 9:52 am
WOW!! I think I work with this guy’s son.
February 10th, 2006 at 10:00 am
I grew up in Miami Beach - still trying to make out where it would be - the beach is just a few feet away. I didn’t know that pant cuffs were cut that way in the 50’s.
February 10th, 2006 at 10:19 am
Social-stigma 101: Note that the tats all end just before the shirt cuff-line, the neck-line, and even sock-line (perhaps he’s partial to flip-flops)… this guy, at the office, fits right in. No one would know.
I’ve worked with some heavily tattooed (type that word folks, “tattooed”… fun!) people, and many of them opt for this ability to “pass” in more conservative work environs. Stereotyping alert: they’ve also tended to be the funnest and most popular folks around the water cooler.
Less so these days, but self-censorship, “let’s not go too crazy” figured into this choice. So Tony here probably has a 9 to 5 office job.
Though they probably wonder what the clanking noise is when he sneezes.
February 10th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Ewwww, those booby rings aren’t making my spirit soar…
February 10th, 2006 at 11:30 am
I think I’ve dated his son! And David, no worries about the cuffs. This guy probably hadn’t been tailored yet. Check the chapeau in his shade! Also well-dressed men in background (at the beach, yet!).
February 10th, 2006 at 11:52 am
Oh… dear… God. My nipples hurt just looking at this. Those rings look like something we’d hang off as kids at the playground jungle gym. Kinda digging the Native American on his calf, though.
February 10th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Goodness me. I have hestitated to respond to this slide as I knew the minute I even began to ruminate about Master Lifter, my mentor Emily Post would rise angry-like from her resting place to revoke my Etiquette Educator card. But I must say something, as Sir Skin has such a melancholy and resigned squint. Yes, yes, he’s looking into the sun. But he’s also looking so objectified. So side showed out. Bitter. Hurt by the world, and maybe hurt by a girl?
Thus I turned immediately to the book written especially for angry men: _What Men Don’t Like About Women_ by Thomas D. Horton (1945). This manifesto is a jab at women everywhere with chapters on “Women as Bosses,” “Women on the Telephone,” and “Women as Drinkers.” Taking Tattooed and World Weary into account, I give you the following from “Women and Clothes — Theirs and Men’s”:
“It is not uncommon for a woman to boast of her sweetheart’s underwear to her friends. She says, ‘Oh, that reminds me. You know, my Bob has such strange tastes in his undershirts and trunks. He likes his trunks tight, with a string, and sort of greenish in color. And his undershirts he likes with a very low neck. Oh, yes, he has dozens and dozens of undershirts and trunks. He likes to change them three times a week, sometimes every other day. In the summer, you know, when everything gets so moist and sweaty.’ The lovely one might as well discuss her darling’s manners in bed. It wouldn’t be much more vulgar. Who said women were the dainty sex?”
So the Amazing Rings has perhaps been betrayed by a lady love. Not about the carefully concealed tattoos. Not about the nipple rings. But about his choice in man panties and undershirts. He’s had it. He will now just walk around in belted, tiny underthings and no shoes. Period. He thinks: How do you like me now, honey?
xoxo!
Miss Sharon
February 10th, 2006 at 3:40 pm
What knockers!
February 11th, 2006 at 3:20 am
LOL. Miss Sharon, you have made my day. I’m rolling.
February 11th, 2006 at 8:27 am
Well I guess it shows that Miami Beach hasn’t changed that much!
February 11th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
From your collection, do you find differences from suburban images, middle American, or city slickers? The man with the tatoos is something one could definately find in the suburban America of those days. I do not know enough about rural America.
It’s good to see the color variety of an era often regarded as dull black and white
February 13th, 2006 at 9:23 am
One can only imagine what tatts he has underneath the swimsuit!
February 13th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
This dude is way ahead of his time. He didn’t follow trends. He MADE them! I dare anyone to wear the nipple rings he wears.
It’s just too bad he probably didn’t live to see people following his vision.
February 14th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Wow! I knew people were getting tattoos in the 50’s, but had no idea people were doing head-to-toe work back then! Amazing! Another slice of hidden life, brought to us by Charles.
April 7th, 2006 at 3:28 pm
Hmmm, must be a myth that your rings and swimsuit belt must match. Take THAT, Emily Post!
September 1st, 2006 at 6:12 am
This group is hilarious. I tend to agree with Patrick. Maybe he has some long word tattooed that few have ever seen completely spelled out…
June 25th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
This guy looks like those rings in a sporthall. very very öööörrrrhh
July 6th, 2007 at 11:55 am
Rings and Tats? This guy was definately ahead of his time… This is a normal sight now…
gee, is that good?
March 27th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
man it must of been a lot of pain this guy went through i mean i want to a tats but not my whole body and his nipple rings this guys crazy