Floating West: Antique Japanese Tattoo Flash from the Collection of Nick York

A gorgeous, full-scale reproduction of a rare, early 20th century book of Japanese tattoo designs. Accompanied by a lushly illustrated essay detailing the book's mysterious origins and curious history.\nAround 1900, an anonymous Japanese tattoo artist painted dozens of extraordinary tattoo designs on the silk pages of a small homemade book: writhing, bearded dragons; elegant geishas; eagles and snakes locked in midair combat; meticulously observed cranes on the wing; a spider in his web, awaiting prey. Within a decade, this enigmatic volume had become the prized possession of an Arkansas farmer and amateur tattooer whose travels never took him beyond the South Central states. Floating West reproduces the original book of designs in its entirety, making a singular object of tattoo history available to artists, enthusiasts, and historians worldwide.