VERY SCARCE - TATTOO: SECRETS OF A STRANGE ART by ALBERT PARRY, 1st/1st 1933

  TATTOO: SECRETS OF A STRANGE ART AS PRACTISED BY THE NATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES — by Albert Parry — 1st Edition / 1st Printing, 1933 — Very Scarce

 Publisher: Simon and Schuster, New York (1933)

First edition from 1933 of the first American book devoted entirely to tattooing, and a pioneering source work on tattooing in America. Three full-page color illustrations and 24 full-page black-and-white illustrations. Publisher's blue cloth with print paper spine label bearing a tattoo image of a snake and lettering. In well preserved condition. The boards and binding are solid and tight save for some lightening to spine and edge of boards. The pages are crisp and clean save for embossed ex-libris stamp and some darkening to the top of the first blank page. All other pages and illustrations are crisp and clean. A truly beautiful and amazing book, full of fascinating information. Please see below for more information and historical reviews on Parry's famous work.

MORE INFORMATION & REVIEWS

"Parry's book caused a sensation when it was published and many reviews and excerpts were printed in magazines such as Esquire, American Mercury, Modern Mechanic and Scientific American. Most of these reviews focused on the startling revelation that tattooing and sex were connected. Following is Phil Sparrow's (also known as Samuel Steward) comments about this book. "Parry, writing in 1933, was one of the first devotes of Freud, and was 'Freudian terminology to tattooing He interviewed a vast number of tattooists then alive, and like many journalists, accepted the tales they told him without any attempt at verification. His book so infuriated the few tattoo artists literate enough to read it and understand what he was saying that one and all denounced him for doing their art a great disservice. The fact remains that time has proved a large number of Parry's conclusions to be sound, and his book remains a milestone in the general literature of tattooing.

"Following is the Scientific American review from February 1934. "The author's subhead of this curious and intriguing book at once attracts attention: "Secrets of a Strange Art as Practiced by the Natives of the United States." Beautifully illustrated with three color-plates and numerous half-tone reproductions, the book accomplished its avowed purpose of getting under the skin of the skin game. The reasons for having tattoo applied to one's person are proved to be essentially psychological, whatever the expressed reason of the tattooee may be. Mr. Parry, supported by the assertions of authorities in the field of psychology, shows that there is a close link between tattooing and sex. There is a definite erotic basic for the practice of the art, and the author follows the line of reasoning with skill and tact. Such is the subject matter that parts of the book becomes hilariously humorous, but never gets out of hand, and are always done with good taste in keeping with the vast amount of hand are always done with good taste in keeping with the vast amount of serious research that preceded the writing of the volume."