Tattoo historians and collectors worldwide are holding their breath: an incredibly rare archive connected to the golden age of British tattooing is about to go under the hammer at Bray & Co. Auctions in America. The personal belongings and equipment of Manley “Dusty” Rhodes (1890–1962) – a cult master who ran the only tattoo studio in the port town of Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, for decades – will be sold.
The Legacy of Port Grimsby: “Dusty” Rhodes and the Early 20th Century
The collection, put up for auction by tattoo historian and auctioneer Derin Bray of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA, represents an “exceptional testament” to early British tattoo culture. These artifacts, gathered from the collection of Tom Christopher, offer a glimpse behind the scenes of a British master who served sailors, workers, and soldiers from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Manley Raymond “Dusty” Rhodes began his tattooing journey around 1906, learning the craft from his older brother, Cecil Rhodes (1880–1951). While Cecil, a World War I veteran, opened a studio in Dover (173 Snargate Street) and was one of the first to use electric machines, Dusty settled in Grimsby – a major fishing and trading port at the mouth of the Humber. Here, at 442 Victoria Street, he opened his famous salon, which, according to historians, remained the only one in the city for decades.
The Rhodes brothers played a key role in establishing the British tradition. Cecil, whose Dover studio was destroyed by German shelling during World War II, was known for drawing his own designs and using machines by Joseph Hartley of Bristol. Dusty, following his example, became not just a tattoo artist but a part of Grimsby’s urban landscape, still remembered by old-timers.
Lot by Lot: Artifacts Going Under the Hammer
The main lot, an archival collection of items from Dusty Rhodes’ studio, is estimated at $2000–$3000 with a starting bid of $1000. This is not just a collection of old things, but a time capsule, including technological and economic documents of the era:
- Original Tattoo Machine: A model attributed to Joseph Hartley, dating approximately to 1915. This is an extremely important exhibit, demonstrating the early mechanization of the tattooing process in Great Britain.
- Business Book “Tattooing Takings”: Dusty Rhodes’ personal accounting journal, in which he recorded his earnings from January 1946 to August 1958. This document is invaluable for understanding the economic life of early tattoo parlors.
- Stencils and Flashes: A small folder containing about 55 stencils and transfers dating from 1910–1950, as well as three framed line drawings of popular lady head designs.
- Personal Items: Rhodes’ bank book (1925–1929), family photographs, and a handwritten drawing titled “Tattooing the Old Way.”
Two iconic items that were part of the studio’s facade on Victoria Street are being sold separately:
Hand-Painted “Eagle and Snake”: This iconic advertising sign, depicting a battle between an eagle and a snake in the air, hung on the studio door from around 1930. The sign, executed in ink and watercolor on cardboard, has the highest estimated value: $2500 to $3500. The iconography of the eagle and snake is classic for port tattoos, symbolizing the struggle between good and evil or eternal conflict, which was particularly relevant for sailors.
Original Photograph: A snapshot of Dusty Rhodes standing in front of his studio around 1950, with display cases full of flashes and signs. The photograph, which was previously exhibited at the Hammond Museum and included in Terry Manton’s book “Pioneers of British Tattooing” (2023), is expected to sell for $300–$500.
The auction is scheduled for Sunday, November 9th, and will start at noon Eastern Standard Time.
Expert Analysis: Why Dusty Rhodes’ Archive is Priceless for Tattoo Culture
Derin Bray, commenting on the collection, called it a “rare survivor” of early British tattoo history. For the modern tattoo community, these items hold not only antique but also fundamental cultural value. They serve as a bridge between the artisanal, semi-underground art of the early 20th century and the legalized industry we know today.
Technological Context. The machine attributed to Joseph Hartley is an artifact that speaks of a technological breakthrough. In the early 20th century, the use of electric machines, while known, was not yet widespread in Great Britain. Hartley’s early machines, based on modified doorbells and telegraph machines, laid the foundation for the speed and precision that allowed tattooing to move beyond hand-poke methods and become a more accessible service.
Socio-Economic Significance. Perhaps the greatest interest lies in the “Tattooing Takings” business journal. These are not just numbers; they are an economic snapshot of a port town and a tattoo artist’s life in the post-World War II era. By analyzing the daily income records from 1946 to 1958, historians can pinpoint which tattoos were most popular, what the average price per session was, and how economic fluctuations affected demand for tattoos among the working class. In port cities, tattooing was closely linked to maritime and military service, and these records confirm that the art was a stable, albeit modest, source of income.
Visual Iconography. Dusty Rhodes’ flashes and stencils are canonical examples of the style known as “American Traditional,” which actually has deep British roots. Images of eagles, snakes, hearts, and lady heads were a universal language for those who lived by the sea. The preservation of these original examples allows us to study the evolution of design and client preferences before the mass standardization of tattoo catalogs.
“This is an archive that gives us not only an aesthetic insight into what Dusty’s studio looked like, but also real data on how the business functioned,” notes Derin Bray. “It is a rare opportunity for museums and serious collectors to acquire a piece of authentic history that shaped the modern tattoo industry.”
The story of the Rhodes brothers, one of whom worked in strategically important Dover and the other in commercial Grimsby, symbolizes the spread of tattooing to key points along the British coast, making their legacy a cornerstone of European tattoo history.