Augustus Wagner

1872-1941

American (Marietta, Ohio; Los Angeles, California)

Augustus “Gus” Wagner is known as the "World's Champion Hand Tattoo Artist and Tattooed Man,” and as one of the most exuberant figures in the history of American popular culture. As tattooist and showman, he adorned thousands of customers and thrilled audiences from coast to coast in the early years of the 20th century.

Wagner was born in 1872, in Marietta, Ohio, a trading and boatbuilding town on the Ohio River. At age twelve he saw his first tattooed man, "Captain Costentenus the Greek Albanian," in a traveling show."* As a young man he hit the road as an itinerant salesman and laborer. In 1897 he boarded the cargo steamer Bellona at Newport News, Virginia, thus embarking on a four-year career as a merchant seaman. By traveling around the world, Wagner got to know many world seaports and discover tattooing. By 1901, Wagner reportedly had 264 tattoos of his own, allowing him to promote himself as "the most artistically marked up man in America" embarking on a career as a traveling tattooist, tattooed man, and circus performer. Wagner largely eschewed the new electric tattooing machines that transformed the art form after 1890, and remained faithful to his hand-held instruments.

While performing at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, he met and married aerialist performer Maud Stevens. Maud agreed to date Gus so long as he agreed to both tattoo her and teach her to tattoo, and she is believed to be the first American female tattooist. By 1907 they were exhibiting themselves across the country as tattooed attractions. In 1910 Gus and Maud had a daughter, Lotteva, who began tattooing at age 9 but was forbidden by her parents ever to get tattooed.

In 1908, Wagner compiled “Souvenirs of the Travels and Experiences of the Original Gus Wagner Globe Trotter and Tattoo Artist”, a scrapbook of snapshots, trade cards, and other ephemera saved over the course of his career. In his later years Gus diversified his talents, showing and selling busts and totems he carved out of wood. He also became a gem collector, taxidermist, and exhibitor of rare animals, reptiles, and birds. He continued to work as a showman in circuses and Wild West shows. Wagner died after being struck by lightning in 1941.

Profile image from “Souvenirs of the Travels and Experiences of the Original Gus Wagner Globe Trotter and Tattoo Artist”, The Alan Govenar and Kaleta Doolin Tattoo Collection, South Street Seaport Museum 2001.0039.0023

Augustus Wagner

Objects

Wagner, Augustus 1872-1941

Flash booklet

ca. 1935-1939

Wagner, Augustus 1872-1941

Flash Book

n.d.

Wagner, Augustus 1872-1941

Canvas Flash Book

ca. 1910-1920