Human skin collectors ..........Huh?

I’ve heard, many years ago, that in certain circles in European society you could have a tattoo grafted from your body and sold to the highest bidder! I’ve also heard that some people do this on a regular basis as a means of support. Many times I’ve related this story to others, only to be met with ridicule. Does anyone know anything about this? Anyone know of a web page or something I could hold up as proof that this activity actually exists? Can someone save my skin, so ta’ speak?

~bb~

This rings a bell, but only as a short story by Roald (sic) Dahl. From one of his Tales of the Unexpected collections IIRC. The tattoo is an early work of a famous artist and it is suggested that the owner is murdered for it.