Horiyoshi III tattoo art to lead sale at Guernsey's

A work by Horiyoshi III is to headline a sale of tattoo art from the collection of fashion designer Peter Mui at Guernsey's.

The sale will take place in New York this afternoon, with the ink on paper work valued at $30,000-40,000.

Horiyoshi III tattoo
Horiyoshi III's work combines traditional and modern techniques

Horiyoshi III, born Yoshihito Nakano in 1946, is one of the most important figures in the tattoo world.

He was given the title Horiyoshi, a title given to a master tattooist in Japan, after completing an apprenticeship with the legendary Yoshitsugu Muramatsu (aka Horiyoshi I).

His style combines both electric and hand tattooing, but remains resolutely traditional.

A piece by Los Angeles based tattoo artist Bob Roberts is another highlight, with an estimate of $10,000-15,000.

Guernsey's comments: "One of the last living tattoo legends, Bob Roberts paints at home in the traditional medium of watercolor on paper creating dense, fanatically-detailed compositions that draw from traditional American tattoo Flash, Tibetan Thangka paintings, and outlaw motorcycle imagery."

This is the first ever dedicated auction of tattoo art and is likely to attract attention from buyers outside of the art world.

Bob Ettinger of Guernsey's explained to the Daily Beast: "It's a who's who of artists whose names resonate to people who follow this slice of global culture�Ǫ

"How high do you go? That's the real unknown in this auction�Ǫ there's no precedent to point to.

"Estimating a Picasso is easy because thousands of his works are sold."

Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about art and photography auctions.

Featured products

Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Elvis Presley Authentic Strand of Hair
Sale price£399
In stock
Fidel Castro signed certificateFidel Castro Signed Certificate
Fidel Castro signed certificate
Sale price£2,995
In stock
King Henry VIII Autographed DocumentKing Henry VIII Autographed Document
King Henry VIII Autographed Document
Sale price£55,000
In stock