John "Johnny Dollar" Entwistle — Australian tattoo legend, sixty years at the machine, still at 207 Punt Rd, Richmond.
John Entwistle established his first tattoo studio in Flinders Street, Melbourne, in the 1960s. He was not following a trend. He was at the beginning of something — laying down classic, traditional work in a city that had barely met the art form, with a machine in his hand and a wall of flash behind him.
Decades passed. The studio moved. The craft stayed the same.
Alongside forty-plus years as a tattooist, John ran Johnny Dollar Tattoo Supplies — billed as the oldest established tattoo supply house in Australia, manufacturing the ink caps, machine racks and tools of the trade. Over twenty years supplying the industry. The two things together — the tattooist and the supply house — say something about the man: this was never a phase.
He is described by peers in the industry as "Australian Tattoo Legend." His designs are called "a little part of history in tattooing" — work that carries the accumulated weight of a craft practised since before most of today's tattooers were born.
The house style at Entwistle is classic traditional tattooing — old-school flash, bold black outlines, the deep reds and greens and blues of the traditional palette laid heavy on skin. The horse-and-snake. The eagle. The dragon sleeve. Work that collectors of classic traditional tattoos recommend to one another by name.
If you want micro-realism, neon neo-trad, or the tattoo flavour of the month — there are studios for that. If you want the real thing, done with sixty years behind it, there is one address: 207 Punt Rd, Richmond.
The studio holds a 4.9 on Google from 33 reviews — described as a "highly regarded choice for tattoo enthusiasts," dedicated to quality work and personalised experiences, welcoming first-timers and experienced collectors alike.
He now owns and works at 207 Punt Rd, Richmond, Victoria. The studio is open Monday through Saturday. Walk in, or call ahead — (03) 9428 8542. No franchise, no chain, no pop-up. One studio, one steady hand, sixty years of history behind every piece.
