Who Was Sailor Jerry?

Sailor Jerry was born in Nevada in 1911 as Norman Keith Collins. He was notably adventurous and willful as he grew up. Collins’ family regarded him as free-spirited, but also hot-headed. His father called him Jerry, a nickname from the family mule, who shared a similar cranky demeanor. He decided he wasn’t content with living his life out in modern suburbia. Collins boldly began hopping freight trains that crisscrossed America at a young age, which was a common means of travel at the time. His wanderlust lead him to meet people of all walks of life, like ‘Big Mike’  a tattoo artist of Palmer Alaska.

Humble Beginnings – Hand Poking Tattoos

Tattooing in the 1920’s-30‘s was certainly a different experience in contrast to modern times. The recent invention of the electric tattoo machine catapulted the counter culture industry, but many tattooists still preferred the old methods of hand poking. Artists would pierce or score skin with found or made tools, and then rub them with ink. Collins picked this method up from Big Mike. He was eager to learn more, and even more eager to practice. Drifters and vagabonds would allow Collins to practice on them, in exchange for cheap booze or a few cents. He met plenty of willing volunteers as he continued to train hop across the states. His wayward travels would eventually lead him to Chicago, and in turn, to Gibs ‘Tatts’ Thomas.

One in the Same, Apprentice to Tattoo Artist

Just like Collins, Thomas did not care to lead a mundane life in the ideology of the American Dream. Thomas had left home in his early teens and opted to travel the world. He picked up tattooing along the way, and earned the name ‘Tatts’ Thomas. He took Collins under his wing and taught him how to professionally tattoo. Collins, now a zealous apprentice, was still looking to practice on anyone and everyone that would let him. Lore has it that Collins even tattooed some of the cadavers of Chicago’s morgues. With now refined skills under his belt, his nomadic heart once again felt a calling.

Sailor Jerry Surfaces

After a few good years of tattooing with his industry comrades, Collins enlisted in the US Navy at 19 years old. He traveled near and far, but mostly to sea ports in Asia. Collins soaked up the native culture and unique art forms during his travels. Eventually, he was sent to Hawaii. His military tour was finished, which meant he could lend his full attention to tattooing. In addition to tattooing, Collins also piloted a three-mast schooner ship which gave tours around the Hawaiian islands. Soon, though, his idyllic routine was capsized as war struck too close for comfort.

Once a Sailor…….

Dawn had broken in Hawaii on the morning of December 7th, 1941, like any other morning. A whisper soon broke the serene morning, a whisper

which turning to a screech – as cutthroat Japanese fighter planes took shape on the horizon. Wave after wave of fierce aerial assaults befell the US fleet base at Pearl Harbor. The unrelenting surprise attack took hundreds of lives and injured thousands. The US fleet suffered unsurmountable loses, effectively crippling it. This struck a note with Collins, like many other red blooded Americans. He reenlisted to aid the WWII effort, but was subsequently denied. He wanted a part in the action one way or another, so he joined the Merchant Marines instead.

Home Sweet Home?

When Collins returned from his sea travels, things back home in Hawaii had changed in more ways than one. Supposedly, Collins returned to find that his colleague and his wife had closed up what once was their bustling tattoo parlor. The local islands themselves were entirely different, now crawling with tourists and stationed military men and women. What’s more, Collins was fined by the IRS for having not paid taxes on the shop. It’s rumored that Collins had mixed feelings towards the US, that he felt he shouldn’t be charged for making art.

Life After Death – Pioneer of American Traditional Tattoos

Collins passed away unexpectedly on June 12, 1973. His influence and knowledge holds true even till today. He partnered with a manufacturer to produce the tattoo world’s very first purple ink. Not an astounding feat in today’s vast world of ink colors, but back then it was such a breakthrough that Collins would only use the purple ink on clients he felt earned it. To decrease the chance of disease and infection, Collins even developed single use needles. He also developed needles that were less abrasive on skin while tattooing, allowing for greater pigment saturation and less discomfort for the client. Collins was one of the first artists to adopt hospital grade cleaning standards – he was one of the first to use autoclaves to sterilize equipment. He is widely regarded as a forefather of American traditional style tattoos.

Modern Sailor Jerry

Collins tattoo shop and its contents were purchased after his death by two of his former students. In the late 90’s, Malone and Ed Hardy formed Sailor Jerry Ltd. The two would market clothing, art, and eventually…. spiced rum. Louise Collins, his widow, filed suit against the current owners of the rum. She argued that Collins was never a drinker, suing Grant for “unauthorized use and misappropriation of Sailor Jerry’s name and persona”(Hopkins, 2020). Collins was known for his no-nonsense attitude, Louise cites that he would never want his name or art associated with the rum’s target audience. “The lawsuit claims he would not have approved of the use of his name and art to market liquor to “a young hipster crowd” using themes that emphasize “sex, drugs, and rock and roll,” resulting in millions of dollars in sales. And, the lawsuit alleges, neither do his surviving family members.”(Lyte, 2020)

Sources:

Hopkins, A. (2020). William Grant defends ‘fair purchase’ of Sailor Jerry. Retrieved 1 December 2020, from https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/06/william-grant-defends-fair-purchase-of-sailor-jerry/

Lyte, B. (2020). Widow Of Tattoo Legend ‘Sailor Jerry’ Sues Rum Distillers. Retrieved 1 December 2020, from https://www.civilbeat.org/beat/widow-of-tattoo-legend-sailor-jerry-sues-rum-distillers/

Zeitgeist, A. (2020). STEWED, SCREWED AND TATTOOED: The Selling of Sailor Jerry | MichaelCorcoran.net. Retrieved 1 December 2020, from https://www.michaelcorcoran.net/stewed-screwed-and-tattooed-the-selling-of-sailor-jerry/

Slaughter, S. (2020). The Story of the Real Sailor Jerry | Food and Drink | The Manual. Retrieved 1 December 2020, from https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/real-sailor-jerry/

Millar, R. (2020). William Grant faces legal case over Sailor Jerry brand. Retrieved 1 December 2020, from https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2019/06/william-grant-faces-legal-case-over-sailor-jerry-brand/

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