Bert Grimm (born Edward Cecil Reardon, February 8, 1900 – June 15, 1985) was an American

tattoo artist A tattoo artist (also tattooer or tattooist) is an individual who applies permanent decorative tattoos, often in an established business called a "tattoo shop", "tattoo studio" or "tattoo parlour". Tattoo artists usually learn their craft via an ...

dubbed the "grandfather of old school". Grimm's work and mentorship contributed to the development and popularity of the American Traditional tattoo style. He is said to have tattooed

Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were American outlaws who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression, committing a ser ...

and

Pretty Boy Floyd Charles Arthur Floyd (February 3, 1904 – October 22, 1934), nicknamed Pretty Boy Floyd, was an American bank robber. He operated in the West and Central states, and his criminal exploits gained widespread press coverage in the 1930s. He was s ...

, among others.

Personal life

Edward Cecil Reardon was born in

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...

to John Elmer Reardon and his wife Carrie Elizabeth Shull Reardon, one of twelve children. He grew up in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. At some point he changed his name to Bertram Cecil Grimm. He married Julia Florence Lechler on February 7, 1931. Grimm died 15 June 1985 in Warrenton, Oregon.

Career

From a young age, Bert would hang around Portland's local tattoo shops of Sailor Gus, Sailor George and Charlie Western and obtained a tattooing kit of his own at around 12 years old. At fifteen years old Bert left home and took up work with carnivals where he learned to tattoo, including a season with

Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age ...

Cody’s Wild West caravan. Grimm opened his first tattoo store in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

in 1916. Here in the off-season he would work his trade on South State Street, while continuing to travel the carnival circuit in the summer months. In 1923 he retired from the carnival scene and shortly thereafter secured an apprenticeship in Portland with Sailor George Fosdick. Less than a year later, he relocated to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, where he commenced a two-year apprenticeship with Sailor Charlie Barrs. Both mentors were champions of the American Traditional style which in turn influenced Grimm's own stylistic direction. In 1928, Bert set up shop in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, and over the course of 26 years built up a highly successful shop tattooing military men and in-port riverboat workers, and established a reputation as one of "the best ink slingers in the Midwest". His shop was located on North Broadway at Market Street. Later Grimm operated stores in

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

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, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Portland, and China, however he is perhaps best known for his shop on

The Pike The Pike was an amusement zone in Long Beach, California. The Pike was founded in 1902 along the shoreline south of Ocean Boulevard with several independent arcades, food stands, gift shops, a variety of rides and a grand bath house. It was mo ...

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where he hosted and mentored such artists as Owen Jensen, Bob Shaw, Lyle Tuttle, Don Nolan, Phil Sims and Dave Gibson. After Bert retired to Oregon in 1965, his three shops in Long Beach, San Diego and Portland were eventually taken over by Bob Shaw. In 2003, Kari Barba purchased Grimm's shop at 22 Chestnut Place, now named Outer Limits Tattoo and Museum. It remains one of the oldest continuously operating tattoo shops in the

continental United States The contiguous United States, also known as the U.S. mainland, officially referred to as the conterminous United States, consists of the 48 adjoining U.S. states and the District of Columbia of the United States in central North America. The te ...

Personal life

Career

References

Further reading