77

(California, ca. 1950)

"Homeward Bound" Tattoo Design by Chris Nelson

Iconic hand-painted tattoo flash back piece by Chris Nelson (1889-1976), California, ca. 1950. Ink and watercolor on board. Professionally framed with UV-protective glass. Verso with exhibition label from the Hammond Museum (2016).

Denmark native Chris Nelson came to tattooing via life at sea, learning the craft while working as a ship's carpenter. In the 1920s he settled in San Francisco and by the mid-1930s was operating a tattoo shop there on the Embarcadero alongside "Brooklyn" Joe Lieber. Later, during the 1950s, he worked at one of Bert Grimm's shops on The Pike in Long Beach.

Provenance: Collection of Tom Christopher; from tattoo artist Jim "Jimbo" LaPorte, who acquired it in the early 1970s, when he took ownership of the Long Beach Tattoo Studio on the Pike.

Exhibited in "Of Pirates, Mermaids and True Love: 100 Years of Tattoo Flash," Hammond Museum, 2016
20 x 15 in. (50.8 x 38.1 cm.), Frame: 24 x 19 in. (61 x 48.3 cm.)

  • Condition: Very good condition with wear appropriate for its age and use.

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November 9, 2025 12:00 PM EST
Portsmouth, NH, US

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