R.E. Ashwell - Tattoo Flash

HARRISBURG, PA TATTOOER, RALPH ASHWELL! BORN IN SHIPPENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA IN 1901, ASHWELL WAS A TATTOOER FROM THE 1930S THROUGH THE EARLY 1960S. WORKING AS A TRADE LABORER WHO HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS WHILE ALSO TATTOOING, HE WAS A HIDDEN GEM AMONGST THE OTHER PRACTITIONERS OF HIS DAY. HIS FLASH EMBODIES THE FUNCTIONAL, TECHNICAL, AND ARTISTIC ASPECTS THAT DEFINED A MULTIFACETED, VISUALLY ORIENTED CRAFT. WITH A CAREER THAT SPANNED THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AT LEAST TWO WARS, AND THE ACCOMPANYING WAVES OF SERVICEMEN, ASHWELL ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING TO OFFER EVERYONE – FROM ROSES AND BANNERS TO MILITARY INSIGNIA AND POP CULTURE IMAGERY. DESPITE A SOMEWHAT ELUSIVE HISTORY, HE HOLDS A PLACE AMONG AMERICA’S TWENTIETH CENTURY TATTOO ARTISTS. THIS BOOK WILL CONTAIN OVER 100 NEVER-BEFORE SEEN FULL-COLOR FLASH SHEETS BEAUTIFULLY PAINTED BY ASHWELL, SPANNING THE LATE 30S TO EARLY 60S, ALONG WITH A BIOGRAPHY WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY CARMEN FORQUER NYSSEN.