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Milton
Zeis (1901-1972)
Milton
Zeis was a man
of many talents,
businessman, commercial
artist, performer,
author, publisher,
tattoo supplier
and tattooist.
Zeis was born in Rock Island, Illinois,
a small town on the Mississippi
River. The river was to have a
profound impact on Zeis' destiny.
His fascination with tattooing
came at the age of 9 when his father
took him to a riverboat show that
played on the Mississippi. It was
here that he first saw tattooing.
As a teenager, Zeis grew weary
of the small town atmosphere and
began the travels that would further
shape his future. From the mid
1910s to the early 1930s he learned
much about the tattoo business.
He employed that knowledge in a
mail order business known as The
Zeis Studio and located his business
in Rockford Illinois, just north
of his hometown. The photograph
above shows Zeis ( in center) at
a carnival sideshow with Floyd
Samson (on right).
Zeis worked out of the basement
of his home, operating a supply
business on one side and a tattoo
shop on the other. For nearly 20
years he sold flash, pigments,
machines, and other supplies. Flash
has always been a major part of
any supplier business and Zeis
offered black and white sheets
and was one of the first to offer
colored flash.
During the 1940s Zeis, using his
expert skills as a commercial artist,
created more interesting and colorful
catalogs than were previously available.
Tattooing the World Over, a contemporary
and historical advertising magazine
was first published in 1947. "The
Zeis School of Tattooing" and its
related course were a natural extension
of the studio and the supply business.
 First
published in 1951, the
Zeis course included
20 lessons and
sold for $125.00.
Adlai Stevenson, then
Governor of the
state Illinois,
accredited the course
as a home study
program.
By this time, Zeis was
a well-respected member
of the community and
the Zeis Studio had become
world famous. He was
active in tattoo circles
and founded The International
Tattoo Club.
From that first riverboat
experience as a child,
Zeis' interest in show
business never waned. He was
associated with many
circuses and carnivals
while on the road. In his later
years, he created the clown character, "Uncle
Miltie," and was director of the
Shriner¹s "Klownabains." It
was in 1972, while preparing for
a performance as "Uncle Miltie" for
the Fireman¹s Ball, Zeis suffered
a fatal heart attack. Thus ended
the career of one of the tattoo
world's great legends.
Tattoo Archive © 2003
See
a book,
an engraver
flyer,
a supply
catalog, a flash
book, a machine
I.D. chart and a window
sign by
Milton Zeis in our
online store.
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