Happy birthday to tattoo legend Paul Rogers: Sept 1905-1990. Paul Rogers was born in a tiny log cabin in the woods of Western NC. He got his first tattoo at age 21 from Chet Cain, who was traveling with the Robertson Circus. That first tattoo changed his life, and started a traditional of getting an annual tattoo from Chet Cain when he came through town. In 1928 Paul bought his first tattoo machine kit and starting learning to tattoo on himself and a few locals. He joined the John T. Rea Happy Land Side Show and tattooed for the circus, as well as having a balancing act. He fell in love with a snake handler named Helen, who later became his wife. In the 1940s, Paul went to work with the great Cap Coleman and by the 1970s was building machines for some of the best-known tattooists of the time. Paul is largely famous in the tattoo community today for his machines. Most machine builders and suppliers working today have at least one Paul Rogers style machine that they sell. He died in 1990, after 56 years in the tattoo profession. In 1983 Paul Rogers was admitted to the Tattoo Hall of Fame in San Francisco, part of the Tattoo Art Museum created by Lyle Tuttle. Below, from left to right: a portrait of Paul Rogers, Paul Rogers in his chair balancing act, Paul Rogers in his machine building shed, and the small log cabin where he was born.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 01:39:18 +0000
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