HAND-POKE PRISON TATTOO TOOL

HAND-POKE PRISON TATTOO TOOL

Private collection

Collection

American Prison System

Origin

Weade Correctional Facility
Alden, New York, USA

Medium

Plastic and steel

Association

Modified writing pen repurposed into an improvised hand-poked tattoo tool manufactured by an incarcerated individual for tattooing within a correctional facility.

Description

Red plastic Paper Mate® pen body modified to house a fine steel needle protruding through the writing tip. The ink cartridge has been removed or altered to accommodate the needle, creating a manually operated tattoo instrument suitable for hand-poked tattooing. Surface wear and minor damage are present, consistent with repeated modification and use.

HAND-POKE PRISON TATTOO TOOL

1/2

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