Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum celebrates namesake tattoo artist with jewellery range Spiced rum brand Sailor Jerry is marking what would have been the 110th birthday of its namesake, Norman Sailor Jerry Collins, with a special artistic collaboration. Collins, widely regarded as the father of the traditional tattoo, is famed for his flash art style. His tattoos typically featured iconography from Hawaii - where he built his reputation in the art in the 1940s - such as hula girls, swallows, ships and anchors. His nickname, Sailor Jerry, originated in his affiliation with the US Navy. As well as being an acclaimed artist, he innovated on a technical level in tattooing, from modern machine configurations and sterilisation methods to the introduction of purple ink.