Before reality TV there were carnivals. People looked forward to the carnival coming to town. It was where they would go to see the abnormal, oddities and freaks. Rides were secondary to the live acts. As previously mentioned, tattooing originally wasn't allowed on the 'front end' of the midway on the carnival lots. They were only located on the 'back end' with the freak shows/live shows. Tattooing being considered an oddity itself is the reason why the history of carnivals and tattooing crossover. Many old timer tattoo artists that crossed paths with The Steinhart Family while traveling the carnival circuit also owned freak shows/live shows. Many of the stories you'll read about the Steinhart Family will contain tattoo artists that were show owners. Sailor Barney Sr. started traveling with the carnivals in the late 40's. By 1968 his son's Sailor Barney Jr. aka Howie the Hand, Larry, Captain Frog and Sailor Fred were traveling the carnival circuit. Some of the tattoo artists that crossed their paths, that were also show owners, were Commodore Dick out of FL, Karl Cullison out of OH and Sailor Bill Killingsworth out of GA. They owned shows like Monkey Speedways, Freak Shows, Gorilla Girl or Wildman Shows and Motordromes. The Steinhart's all tattooed and were equally involved on the back end of the carnival midways. Both Sailor Barney Sr and Sailor Fred owned live show shows. The Steinhart Family traveled west as far as Chicago, north as far as Maine and south as TX and FL. The Steinhart Family will be sharing family photos at a later time (coming soon!). In the mean time below are examples of some of the live shows tattoo artist around the US owned while tattooing. Enjoy the video as well.
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Sailor Fred started his career in 1968 as a young man traveling the carnival circuit with his father, Sailor Barney Sr. This would continue until 1975. Their time traveling would be 7-9 months out of the year. During the winter months they would travel to FL or CA to warmer weather, sitting in as a guest artist in someone else’s shop or bootlegging anywhere that had enough light to see. During his first year out on the road in ’68 Sailor Barney Sr. and his boys spent the first couple of weeks tattooing with the Gene Simpson show. It was a small ragbag show. They worked for the King Reid Show and the Premier Show before hopping over to the OC Buck Shows. None of these carnival outfits exist today.
The Steinhart Family is somewhat unknown to the public. The internet didn't exist during their reign in the world of tattooing and there has been very little written about them since. However anyone that has crossed their paths or worked along side of them know that this family has helped lay the foundation of tattoo history in America. They are indeed the real deal.
Sailor Barney Sr. (known as 'SB'; deceased) was from Brooklyn New York. He spent years tattooing there along side the greats. It's been said, that at one point Sailor Barney Sr. was the most profitable tattoo artist in the country. Throughout his career he sat down in many shops across the USA and traveled with the carnival circuit. He was the President of the East Coast Tattoo Club of America and was the creator of the Coastal Tattoo Machine. SB was married multiple times and had a sh*t ton of kids. It's his "First Litter" of all boys that followed in his foot steps. All the boys started their careers in tattooing traveling the carnival circuit with SB. Sailor Fred was the most successful tattoo artist of the boys; making it his life long career. He owned his own shop of 20+ years in Rochester, New York, created his own line of tattoo machines, was the President of the Royal Tattoo Club, owner of the Tat-Kat Supply Company and founder of the First Traveling Tattoo Museum. It's these items from the museum, his private collection, being sold off over the next few months. Sailor Barney Jr., best known as Howie The Hand (deceased), was also a successful tattoo artist. Most of his career was spent in CA. Although he took quite a few years away from the industry he came back to open a very successful shop in GA. Howie The Hand retired to upstate New York with his brothers before passing away. Captain Frog spent most of this tattooing career up in Maine before working alongside his brother in Sailor Fred's freak show and grab joint. Frog didn't make tattooing his main career and has since semi-retired in upstate New York. Tattoo Larry like the rest of the boys, tattooed along side of his father and brothers. He spent years in and out of the industry and still tattoos friends a few times a year. Larry's success was selling equipment ... a lot of it. One of the most 'colorful' people to cross path's with Sailor Fred during his life was Tat-2 Tony. Sailor Fred met Tat-2 Tony in the late 60's/early 70's while tattooing the carnival circuit. Tat-2 Tony would take a bench at Sailor Fred's shop or trailer on and off for many years while making his way up and down the east coast. They became so close, Tat-2 Tony is godfather to Sailor Fred's youngest daughter, Nichole. Sailor Fred's stories of Tat-2 Tony are nothing short of hysterical and will be shared in due time.
Tat-2 Tony has since passed although his memories will remain with Sailor Fred and anyone else that was lucky enough to have called him a friend. Top to bottom: Late 1970's Sailor Fred, Tat-2 Tony and Howie the Hand (Sailor Fred's older brother). Late 80's/early 90's Sailor Fred and Tat-2 Tony. Sailor Fred's first tattoo studio was called Golden Needle Tattoo Studio. It was located at 116 Lyell Ave. in Rochester, NY. This shop was successfully open for 15 years at this location until he moved it down the street to a newer building. The Golden Needle Tattoo Studio remained open at the second location for another 6 years before having to close it due to illness.
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AuthorSailor Fred is a renown American Tattoo Artist that started his career in 1968 Archives
November 2016
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