90

(Portland, Oregon, ca. 1925)

"Sailor" George Fosdick Tattoo Studio Business Card

Used by "Sailor" George Fosdick (1885–1946), 267 1/2 Burnside Street, Portland, Oregon, ca. 1925. Double-sided with a happy-sad face cartoon on verso, reading "I got Tattooed by Sailor George." Printed on card stock.

Provenance: Collection of Mav Mess

For decades, "Sailor" George Fosdick (1885–1946) stood as the preeminent tattoo artist in Portland, Oregon. A seaman by trade, Fosdick learned the mysterious art of tattooing while working aboard commercial vessels. By the 1910s he had become a fixture on the Portland waterfront, operating shops along lower Burnside Street. There, on the edge of Skid Road, Fosdick built a reputation for technical excellence and imaginative design. Among his most celebrated works is the full-body suit he completed in 1943 for "Captain Elvy" Campbell, a welder and mechanic who briefly toured as a sideshow attraction and tattoo artist. Striking photographs of the stone-faced, heavily tattooed Campbell remain among the most iconic images in tattoo history (Lot 79).

Fosdick also played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of artists. In 1923, a young Bert Grimm—who would go on to become one of the most influential American tattoo artists of the twentieth century—worked alongside Fosdick on Burnside Street. Their collaboration resulted in a series of bold body suits for clients such as Max Bohm, "Sailor Carl" Lindquist, and Jay Lester, individuals whose tattoos would come to exemplify the American traditional style. Fosdick remained deeply embedded in the tattoo community, regularly exchanging designs and information with fellow artists such as Charles "Red" Gibbons, Fred Marquand, and Edward "Dad" Liberty of Boston, the latter of whom he met while Liberty was working at an arcade in Seattle. Respected by his peers and admired by his protégés, Fosdick endures as a foundational figure in the history of American tattooing—particularly in the Pacific Northwest, where his influence continues to resonate.

See Nick Ackman, Fred Marquand: Electric Tattooing, Experienced Work (2015)
2 x 3 1/2 in. (5.1 x 8.9 cm.)

  • Condition: Good condition. Surface wear visible in photos.

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July 13, 2025 11:00 AM EDT
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