Did you know that the oldest tattoo shop in the world is located in Jerusalem, owned by the Razzoo family?
In Holland however, it was Pier de Haan, later known as Tattoo Peter, who opened the country’s first tattoo shop in 1955. At the time, tattoos were still mostly seen among sailors, soldiers, and working-class communities, far from the mainstream status they enjoy today. He later went on to kickstart dutch tattoo culture and artistry.
Pier: the man behind the needle
Tattoo Peter was born in Sneek (Friesland) as Pier de Haan. He grew up in the city of IJmuiden, known for both its port industry and home of the world’s largest sea lock.
After WWII, Peter was often found in Dutch ports where one day, he ran into Albert Cornelissen who at that time was the tattoo artist in Rotterdam. Peter found his teacher in Albert who not only taught him the tricks of the trade, he also showed him that quality is the pride of true craftsmanship.
Making a name at the harbour
By the early 1950s, Peter started doing tattoos in harbourside cafes in the Netherlands. This resulted in a growing clientele and he made a name for himself. In addition, Peter traveled to countries such as Denmark and Germany to (further) learn the tricks of the trade. As mentioned, he then went on to open his first shop in 1955.
During the first years, clients kept coming in. Both Amsterdam and Rotterdam were global players in the port industry, and the people working in them liked to get tattooed. In those days, tattoo shops were a great rarity: Each city is said to have only had around 10 shops.
Fame and collaborations
Ten years later, Tattoo Peter had become a household name, working with well-known artists like Herbert Hoffmann from Hamburg (Germany) and Ole Hansen from Copenhagen (Denmark). His network expanded with other tattoo artists from Germany and Denmark, as well as England. During all of this, the amount of clients increased steadily.
…And the rest is history
In 1977, the shop moved to Nieuwe Brugsteeg 28, just a short walk from Amsterdam Central Station. Peter’s son joined full-time in 1980, and the shop continued to thrive until Peter passed away in 1984.
Next year marks the shop’s 70th anniversary, and we are proud to carry on Peter’s legacy.
Join the legacy
If you’d like to be part of our journey, feel free to contact one of our crew members. Let’s make your tattoo ideas come to life. Send us an email on info@tattoopeter.nl or just pay a visit to the store!