Tavern Guild Beaux Arts Ball and Imperial Court Coronation Programmes and Handbills, 1978-2005

San Francisco: Tavern Guild of San Francisco; Imperial Council of San Francisco; and others, 1978-2005.
First Edition.

27 pieces (19 programmes, 8 handbills). Programmes approximately 28cm x 21.5cm, 16 to 92 pages each, black and white illustrations, saddle-stapled pictorial wrappers. Handbills 28cm x 21.5cm, various coloured stocks.

Nearly three decades of San Francisco drag royalty, from the Tavern Guild’s Halloween balls to the Imperial Court’s coronations. The programmes are filled with advertising from the city’s gay bars and businesses and from political campaigns seeking the gay vote, together with details of the events, photographs of the reigning and past emperors and empresses, and in some cases historical anecdotes. Contents: 6x Tavern Guild of San Francisco Beaux Arts Ball programmes: 1978; 1979 ‘Only in San Francisco’; 1980 ‘Baubles, Bangles and Beads’; 1981; 1982 ’20th Annual Beaux Arts Ball’; 1982 (Jack-o-lantern cover). 11x Imperial Court of San Francisco Coronation programmes: 1979 ‘The Coronation of the Emperor of San Francisco’; 1980 ‘Spices of the Elizabethan Era’ (Empress Ginger); 1987 ‘Legends, Myths and Magic’ (Emperor Matthew, Empress Sable); 1989 ‘Imperial Bell’ (designed as a Yellow Pages directory); 1992 Crystal Prism Court (Emperor Michael Bowman, Empress Caresse; congratulatory message from Mayor Frank Jordan); 1993 ‘Coronation Flight: Crash Landing’; 1998 ‘Realms of Fantasy’; 1999; 2000 ‘The Court of Graciousness and Goodwill’; 2001 ‘Integrity and Diversity’ (35th anniversary); 2005 ‘Four Decades of History and Tradition’. 2x Coronation programmes from other courts: Silver Dollar Court, Comstock Empire, Reno, 1991; Imperial Dove Court de Fresno and Madera, Coronation XX, 1993. 8x handbills: Glitter Boys Party for Bruce at Kimos; Sacramento Grand Duke and Duchess Ball 1986; Imperial Investiture 1985, San Francisco; Royal Gala Romp 1986, San Francisco; 20th anniversary of the reign of Empress XVI ‘Pushy’ Phyllis and Emperor IX Bobby Pace 2001; Tattoo Jim for Emperor; Collette Le Grande for Empress 1996; Mr, Ms and Miss Gay Garden Grove 1999.

Most programmes in Fine to Near Fine Condition with only very minor general wear, a couple with minor soil or rub marks. Handbills each with a light crease to one edge. Near Fine Condition.

AU$2,000