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Sailor
Charlie Barrs
In
Los Angeles today,
tattoo shops are
spread all around
town. Back in the
day however, shops
were located mostly
on North or South
Main Street.
A partial list of tattooists working
on Main Street includes, L.W. Duff,
James Fraser, J.B. King, Lou Lewis,
Bert Grimm, Owen Jensen, "Red" Gibbons,
Harry Lawson and Charlie Barrs.
Although Barrs was held in high
regard by his fellow tattooist,
few photos of him or artifacts
of his flash remain today.
Several stories have circulated
about his childhood. One story
says that he was born in Maine
where his father was said to have
had a fleet of fishing boats. Another
story states that he was born in
Holland and jumped ship in the
United States. The date of Barrs'
birth is not known although Paul
Rogers said Barrs was 72 when he
met him in Norfolk, VA. Since Paul
was located in Norfolk from 1945
to 1950, Barrs must have been born
in the 1870s.
It is unclear when and where Barrs
started tattooing, but early on
he got a Christ Head back piece
by Buckie in Philadelphia. Buckie
was considered by many to be one
of the best tattooists of his era
and it is possible that Barrs may
have got some training from Buckie.
A photo of Charlie Barrs' back
piece from Buckie is included above.
On the back of that photo, below,
is a caption written by Owen Jensen
to Jack Wills.
During the early part of the 20th
century, many great tattooists
worked circus and carnival sideshows
early in their careers. Some worked
as attractions others as attractions/tattooists.
Bert Grimm tells a story about
running into Cap Coleman who was
working a carnival in Cincinnati,
Ohio in the early 1900s. Within
a few years Coleman had left the
road and set up shop in Norfolk,
VA. Grimm stated that Coleman got
in touch with Charlie Barrs and
invited him to work with him in
Norfolk. Apparently, Coleman made
Barrs an offer he couldn't refuse:
100% of his take and free room
and board. Coleman had heard of
Barrs' talent and wanted to learn
from him. Barrs made the trip east
to work with Coleman. Bert Grimm
went on to say that when Barrs
left Norfolk, VA, Coleman's tattooing
looked like Charlie Barrs, only
a bit heavier.
By the 1920s Barrs was working
in Los Angeles in the Novelty Penny
Arcade located at 234 South Main
Street. This is the location where
Bert Grimm worked with Barrs in
1924 and 1925. After Grimm left
Portland for Los Angeles, he worked
with Jack Julian at 412 South Main.
About his time with Barrs in Los
Angeles Grimm said, "In 1924
I was working with Charlie Barrs
in Los Angeles. The Pacific and
Atlantic Fleet met for maneuvers
in San Pedro. I worked 24 hours
straight, on nothing but Sailors.
I made $206 and Charlie made $202".
In 1926 Grimm left Los Angeles
for Chicago. Years later Bert Grimm
wrote on the back of a photo of
Barrs back piece, "I prize this
picture a lot. Not because I like
the back piece but because it is
Charlie. He is the granddaddy of
all good tattooing".
Charlie Barrs then invited Owen
Jensen into his shop. Jensen jumped
at the chance. In a 1972 letter,
Jensen wrote, "He had been in
this arcade for several years tattooing.
He was a very quiet guy, but at
this time he really was rated as
just about the best tattooer in
this country, so of course I was
very pleased to get a chance to
tattoo with someone that good.
When I went in with Charlie I sold
my spot in San Pedro to a young
fellow name Sandy Dillon, he had
been covered by Charlie and Bert
Grimm".
Barrs made several other trips
from the west to the east coast.
Because of his friendship with
many east coast tattooists, he
would often travel and work in
their shops. Paul Rogers told this
story about the time that the west
coast fleet had come for maneuvers
on the east coast. Barrs had driven
across the United States to help
Coleman tattoo all those sailors.
At that time west coast artists
were getting better prices for
their work than those on the east
coast. So when Barrs arrived back
east he had Coleman take down all
the sheets of flash with the 25¢ and
50¢ designs. Barrs did not
want to work that cheap!
Shortly before the closing of the
Norfolk, VA tattoo shops in 1950,
Barrs left San Diego where Bob
Shaw said he had been working with
Painless Nell. Barrs headed back
to the east coast, this time to
work with William "Bill" Grimshaw.
Grimshaw's shop was located just
two doors down from "Coleman's
Place" on East Main Street. Barrs
was now in his 70s, and semi-retired.
It was at this time that Paul Rogers
met Barrs and was exposed to his
years of experience. Paul recalled
a good relationship with Barrs
and proudly credited his style
of machine assembly and tuning
to him. Paul said, "He was the
tattooer back in the old days on
the west coast".
The date of Charlie Barrs death
in unknown, Paul Rogers received
cards and letters from him and
his wife Lillie up until 1960.
Tattoo Archive © 1997
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