Lot 5

Cabinet Card of Tattoo Artist "Painless" Jack Tryon [Bowery - Photograph - Sideshow] (New York, ca. 1905) 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm.)

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Cabinet Card of Tattoo Artist "Painless" Jack Tryon [Bowery - Photograph - Sideshow] (New York, ca. 1905) 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm.)

Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000

Current Bid: $2,750

(5 Bids)

by Bray & Co. Auctions
July 26, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
33 Jewell Court
Portsmouth, NH, US 03801

Cabinet Card of Tattoo Artist "Painless" Jack Tryon [Bowery - Photograph - Sideshow]
(New York, ca. 1905)
Depicting full-length front view of Halsey Jack Tryon (1885-1959), aka "Painless" Jack, beside a hand-painted sign reading "Tattooed by Wagner and Alberts, Chatham Sq. N.Y." Photograph by William Ettlin (1857-1911), 17 Chatham Square, New York, ca. 1905. Albumen print on card mount.

Born in Michigan in 1885, Halsey Jack Tryon traveled the vaudeville circuit as a young man, working as a magician, Punch and Judy operator, slack-wire artist, and fire eater. He eventually found himself in New York City, where rising tattoo artists Lew "The Jew" Alberts and Charlie Wagner covered him from neck to ankle. By 1908, Tryon was operating a tattoo shop in Benton Harbor, Michigan while continuing to troupe with both large and small shows, advertising himself as "The World's Most Handsomely Tattooed Man." Within a decade he would settle in Texas, where he managed traveling shows and tattooed seasonally in San Antonio—at times working from a wagon parked across from the Alamo. Late in life, Tryon was remembered as barrel-chested and gruff, and, on the rare occasions when he smiled, flashing diamonds set into his front teeth.

  • Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm.)
  • Condition: Bray & Co. Auctions is committed to providing accurate and thorough catalog descriptions, but prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to examine property in person or request additional information prior to bidding. Condition statements are offered solely as a courtesy and reflect our general observations at the time of cataloging; they should not be regarded as complete or definitive descriptions of condition, nor as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Certain imperfections, restorations, or signs of wear may not be specifically noted in written reports but may be visible in the accompanying photographs, which form part of the overall condition description. Please consult our Terms of Sale for additional information, and contact Bray & Co. Auctions with any questions or requests for supplemental photographs or condition details.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000