Brooklyn Joe Lieber: The West Coast's Best Kept Secret

Joe Lieber flash from the archives of the Lucky Supply Tattoo Museum

Though his nickname suggests East Coast roots, Brooklyn Joe Lieber made his mark on the opposite shore. Born in 1888 and raised in Brooklyn, Lieber eventually settled in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he quietly helped shape the face of American tattooing. He was already recognized as one of the best in the business by the early 1930s, with Albert Parry naming him in his book Tattoo as one of the top artists in the country. Lieber put in time at some of the most well-known shops on the West Coast, working alongside names like C.J. Eddy and E.C. Kidd at the #4 Embarcadero location, and later making a name for himself in Oakland’s bustling tattoo scene—particularly at the Fun Center Arcade on Broadway.

Brooklyn Joe wasn’t just a shop man—he was a mentor, an artist, and a quiet powerhouse. He later teamed up with Doc “Davy” Jones, another prominent West Coast artist, and remained active well into the 1940s. His business cards from that era boast "40 years experience" and "45 years experience," speaking to just how long he was in the game. Perhaps most notably, Lieber mentored Sailor Jerry Collins. The two shared a nearly identical style and exchanged flash that would go on to influence traditional tattooing for generations. While Sailor Jerry may be a household name, Brooklyn Joe’s work stands shoulder to shoulder with his protégé’s—equal in impact, and deserving of the same spotlight.