Where Did the traditional Speed Skull come from?
Bert Grimm Original Speed Skull Flash
If you are into traditional tattoos you have probably come across this little speed skull guy tattooed on people or popping up on flash sheets, and you might be wondering what the deal is with him?
Well it all starts with Bert Grimm, the legendary American traditional tattooer and pioneer of American traditional tattoos.
Bert Grimm was hanging around tattoo shops from the age of 11 or 12 in his native Portland Oregon and eventually ended up with his own shop in 1912 before traveling and tattooing in circuses and sideshows and going on to own various shops in different locations across America.
Bert would go on to tattoo for over 70 years leaving a plethora of tattoo flash and designs that are still reproduced and paid homage to, to this day. One of which is the Speed Skull.
The origins and inspiration for Bert Grimm’s Speed Skull come from a postcard entitled Honk Honk by Roth & Langley in 1910 (See below image). This was one of a number of postcards in the series all of which depict skulls in various situations. Some of the other Postcards in the series were also used as inspiration for other tattooers such as Chris Nelson and Brooklyn Joe.
Honk Honk Postcard 1910 Roth & Langley
As you can see Bert took the bones (no pun intended) of the original Roth and Langley skull and adapted it to make it more tattooable for the time. He also simplified the goggles and general shape of the skull and changed the light source, giving the skull more traditional style shading instead.
This piece of iconic flash is a staple of traditional tattooing and tattoo history but I cannot find any evidence that suggests Bert ever actually tattooed this piece of flash himself, which I personally find a bit saddening considering how many other people have got to tattoo this iconic image.
Bert Grimm (left) Roth & Langley (right)
Now you can find Speed Skulls in many forms like the ones done by The Barrack’s own Kyle Cartlidge who has adapted the original Bert Grimm skull into various forms including Rick and Morty and The Simpsons.
Speed Skull Flash Kyle Cartlidge 2021 (the barracks tattoo studio)
Bert Grim flash remains some of the best tattoo flash out there and his tattoos and flash will continue to be staples of the industry for years to come.