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Sutherland
Macdonald
Sutherland
Macdonald was considered
by many to be one
of the greatest
artists in the
history of tattooing.
It is said that
his first exposure
to tattooing was
in the British
Army in the 1880s.  Already
being an accomplished
artist, Macdonald
picked up the tattoo
needles with ease.
It was after getting
out of the army
that he started
tattooing professionally.
He worked first
with hand tools,
and in 1894 received
a British patent
for his electric
tattooing machine.
An 1897 Strand
Magazine article
written by Gambier
Bolton stated, "that
for shading or
heavy work Macdonald
still used Japanese
tools, ivory handles
and all".
Macdonald's first shop was located
in Aldershot, England. He later
moved to London and set up shop
at the #76 Jermyn Street, upstairs
from a Turkish bath. He spent the
rest of his career at this location.
Sutherland Macdonald was at the
forefront of the early 1900s tattoo
fad, and probably did his share
of cosmetic tinting. Because of
his years as a tattooing sergeant-major
in the Royal Engineers, George
Burchett felt that Macdonald had
an advantage over him in the competition
to tattoo the "leisured people
of taste". George Burchett wrote
about Macdonald in his book, Memoirs
of a Tattooist.
"He had already tattooed officers
in many of the famous regiments,
including the Brigade of Guards.
One of his earliest clients, Lord
Byng of Vimy, when a young officer
in the 10th Hussare, introduced
Macdonald to scores of young bloods
in his circle. When Macdonald exchanged
his sergeant-major's uniform for
the white coat of a full-time tattoo
artist he was already assured of
a good following".
Sutherland Macdonald's contributions
to the tattoo world went farther
than art and celebrity. As stated
earlier, he was granted a British
patent for a tattooing machine
(patent #3035), although it may
have had too many moving parts
to be practical. He is also sometimes
credited for adding blues and greens
to the tattooist palate.
George Burchett also had this to
say about his well respected, fellow
London tattooist.
"For nearly forty years crowned
heads and famous people climbed
the narrow staircase in Jermyn
Street to visit Macdonald and to
leave bearing some of the most
wonderful ornaments ever placed
on human skin. A well spoken, intelligent
and gentle man, Sutherland Macdonald
made friends of his customers,
who treated him as an equal."
Sutherland Macdonald died in 1937.
Tattoo Archive © 1995
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