THE TATTOO CRAZE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 38, 8 November 1907, Page 9

THE TATTOO CRAZE.

Society in England is again taking up' tattooing as a craze.

Mr. Alfred South, the woll-ktiown West End tattooist, informed a press rcprosenative that a great number of thoso who move in society, including quite a number of peeresses, had undergone the treatment. i"\es,"'ho said, "I have been kept very busy lately visiting various ladies 'at thoir own residences, either in town, in the country, or-oven as far as Paris, Vienna, Budapest, and Berlin, to tattoo various things upon them. The tilings ; they usually have done are private coats of'arms, monograms, and crests of all kinds, and tho name of a husband or lover. Several years ago a peeress had the word 'Robert' tattooed just under her heart, but two weeks ago she returned, had that taken out and the name of her second husband substituted. It would seom that anything and overytbing is being tattooed, as, for instance, a Kensington woman who won £1028 in a Limerick competition, had tho winning line tattooed on her arm. To givo an idea of the extent of the craze, I may mention that within tho last week or two I have carried out commissions of tattooing a woman's last will and testament of 400 words on her back. Lines from Wordsworth's poems, problems in bridge, the crucifixion, flowers, snakes, wild beasts, true lovers' knots, and pictures of racehorses aro quito common. Men have also gone in for it largely; naval officers especially, who prefer lifobuoys, littlo yachts, rones, or anything nautical. Amongst other tattoo marks greatly favoured by both men rind women, and particularly actresses, aro regimental crests, dragoons, Japanese designs, somo of them of the most iutricato character, fishes and buttorilies."