'Beautiful, inspiring and informative' - Bidisha

London tattoo legend Lal Hardy reveals the fascinating hidden world of tattoo, past and present.

With a wealth of previously unpublished photographs, details and anecdotes, Tattoo preserves many unique and valuable items of tattoo culture, including:

· Historical stencils and flash
· Customised machines, traditional hand-tools and animal-marking equipment
· Collector's cards, bubblegum cards and transfers
· Memorabilia and tributes relating to tattoo legends such as George Burchett and The Great Omi
· Postcards, toys, ornaments, T-shirts and other merchandise
· Supply catalogues, magazines, books and art
· Rare ephemera - awards, badges, business cards, convention passes, postage stamps and hand-drawn signs

LAL HARDY was born in London in 1958. He opened New Wave Tattoo in north London's Muswell Hill when he was just twenty-one years old. Lal is part of an international community of highly respected tattoo artists. This is his sixth book.

MATT LODDER is an expert on body art and body modification. He is the author of Tattoo: An Art History and is Director of American Studies at the University of Essex.