Take a closer look at the life and ink of legendary American tattoo artist Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins, the godfather of modern American tattooing.

Norman “Sailor Jerry” Jerry Collins defines American traditional tattoo.  

His groundbreaking flash designs and tattoo art were influenced by Sailor Jerry’s colorful life and the experiences those visiting his Honolulu studio looked to permanently remember.  

Sailor Jerry was able to symbolize thoughts, feelings, and ideas as meaningful body art, spurring the back-alley tattoo industry forward towards a more legitimate place in society. Collins laid the groundwork for the creative, billion-dollar business of tattoo art and expression today.  

Read on to learn more about the most influential artist of the 20th century, his timeless tattoos, and impact on the world of tattoo.

Norman “Sailor Jerry” Biography

Early Life and Introduction to Ink  

“You must understand the feeling of originating as opposed to imitating.” 

Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins was born in 1911 in Reno, Nevada. After moving around Northern California as a youngster, as soon as he was of an age Collins opted for wanderlust, crisscrossing the country by freight train – a popular method of getting around for many different types of people in the post Wild West USA.  

Collins met tattooist Gib “Tatts” Thomas in Chicago during the late 1920s. Meeting Tatts ignited his interest in tattoo. Tatts taught the teen Collins the basics of tattooing and how to use a tattoo machine. Collins practiced on drunks and the homeless – trading ink for booze or coin – and rumor has it, on cadavers in the mortuaries of Chicago.  

In the Navy

Sailor Jerry, Traditional Anchor Tattoo. Image: Eric Nielsen CC BY 2.0

A lot of Collins early customers were Naval cadets from local academies; the salty sailor stereotype was truly flourishing in Depression era US. They would get inked while on leave or just prior to shipping out. Collins was keen to hit the road again. The bold talk of travel from the sailors helped prompt him to enlist with the US Navy at age 19.