Emperor Norton statuette, 1877, by Herman J. Brand (1837–1914). Plaster with metal walking stick, 22” x 7” x 7”. Collection of the Society of California Pioneers. Photograph: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. For more, see our May 2023 article here. [Added 6.28.2016]

Emperor Norton statuette, 1877, by Herman J. Brand (1837–1914). Plaster, 22” x 7” x 7”. Collection of the Wells Fargo HIstory Museum, San Francisco. Source: The Forgotten Characters of Old San Francisco (The Ward Ritchie Press, 1964). For more, see our May 2023 article here. [Added 8.17.2016]

Maquette of Emperor Norton in tophat (c.1936–40), by Peter Macchiarini (1909–2001). Source: Macchiarini Creative Design [Added 6.27.2016]

Maquette of Emperor Norton in Union cap (c.1936–40), by Peter Macchiarini (1909–2001). Photograph: Mike Leon. Source: SF Weekly [Added 6.27.2016]

Plaque, ceramic, c.1938, by William Gordon Huff (1903–1993). Probably a test casting for the Emperor Norton figure in Huff’s 1939 bronze plaque detailed here and seen in the following slide. Collection of the Mowers-Goheen Museum at the Peña Adobe Historical Society. Source: University of California Museum of Paleontology [Added 12.30.2019]

Plaque, bronze, 1939, by William Gordon Huff (1903–1993). Learn more about the history of the plaque and its 2018 restoration . Photograph © 2018 Kai Wada Roath. [Added 11.7.2018]

Medallion for Emperor Norton Treasure Hunt, 7” diameter, 1953. Collection of Dan Sullivan. Photo: Dan Sullivan. For additional information and photographs, see The Emperor Norton Trust’s articles here and here. [Added 3.29.2020; current photo added 6.14.2022]

Grand Order of the West medallion, 14K gold, 1953. Gifted by the San Francisco Chronicle to the winner of the Chronicle’s Emperor Norton Treasure Hunt that year (possibly to the winner’s spouse). Front view. Struck by Shreve and Co. jewelers. To learn more, see The Emperor Norton Trust’s article here. Photograph © John Kraljevich. Source: Numismatic Bibliomania Society. To see reverse of medallion, click here. [Added 6.29.2016]

Grand Order of the West medal, unknown date. 7 1/2” long (including ribbon), 3 3/4” wide. Secondary texts: “Knight Companion” and “Grand Bingelheimer.” Norton artwork the same as for this promotional souvenir produced by the San Francisco Chronicle in 1953. Additional views and more information in our April 2020 article here. Gregg and Michelle Philipson Collection. Source: Gregg Philipson. [Added 3.30.2020]

Token, unidentified, possibly 1960s–70s, reverse. Aluminum, 22.4 mm diameter, 1.6 mm thick, 1.45 g. Obverse features the name “Emperor Norton’s” and a rendering of the Golden Gate Bridge (see). Also made with a bronze finish. Source: Numista [Added 1.16.2022]

Emperor Norton figurine, chalkware, c.1985, from a 1968 wood original by Elwin Millerick (1911–1997). 12"h, including base 3.5"w x 5"d. Collection of Joseph Amster. (A photograph of Millerick with his original carving is in the 1985 newspaper article here.) [Added 1.9.2017]

Figurehead of cruise vessel Harbor Emperor, San Francisco, 1968, wood, by Elwin Millerick (1911–1997). Built in 1968, the Harbor Emperor is part of the Blue & Gold Fleet of cruise vessels. Photograph © 2012 Paul Sullivan. [Added 6.27.2016]

Glass etching in entry transom at the Emperor Norton Inn, 615 Post Street, San Francisco. Creator and date unknown. Photograph © 2010 D. Huw Richardson . [Added 6.28.2016]

Emperor Norton art bar, .999 fine silver, 1973. Minted by Coin Galleries of San Francisco. Edition of 2,500. Source: Silver Art Collector. [Added 6.28.2017]

Emperor Norton giant puppet, 1978. This 12- to 15-foot-tall puppet — built by the props shop of Northern California Renaissance Faire (Black Point) and controlled by a human operator inside — was an early fixture at Pier 39, San Francisco, and debuted there when the retail / food / entertainment complex opened in October 1978. Some version of the puppet is documented to have been at Pier 39 as late as 1986, but by 1984 it had been modified into a stationary figure. Photo courtesy of Randy Carpadus. [Added 10.1.2022]

Emperor Norton figure. This 12- to 15-foot-tall figure was an early fixture at Pier 39, San Francisco, and debuted there when the retail / food / entertainment complex opened in October 1978. Built by the props shop of Northern California Renaissance Faire (Black Point) as a giant puppet with a human operator inside, the puppet had been modified to this stationary wood-base figure by 1984. It is documented to have been at Pier 39 between as late as 1986. Source: San Francisco Examiner, 16 September 1984, Sunday Punch magazine, p. 5. Photo: Brant Ward. [Added 2.6.2022]

"Emperor Norton" (1982), by Karin Roper (b. 1963). Polymer clay. Roper created this piece at the request of her father, the late Edward Roper, a Norton fan and San Francisco and California history buff who taught middle-school history in San Francisco for 30 years. She gifted it to him on Father's Day 1982. © 1982 Karin Roper. Photograph courtesy of Karin Roper. [Added 9.25.2017]

Detail from San Francisco Yesterday and Today (1984), by Ruth Asawa (1926–2013). Located in the driveway of the Parc 55 Hilton, San Francisco. Photograph © 2015 Joseph Amster. For more photos of the complete 7-paneled sculpture, click here. [Added 6.28.2016]

Emperor Joshua Norton (1984), clay, by Tom Jackson (b. 1931). Collection of the California Historical Society; gift of the artist. [Added 2.19.2018]

Emperor Norton puppet, 1997, by Mona Caron. For 1997 San Francisco Carnival parade. Source: Mona Caron. [Added 6.28.2016]

Head of Emperor Norton puppet, 1997, by Mona Caron. For 1997 San Francisco Carnival parade. Source: Mona Caron. [Added 6.28.2016]

“Emperor Norton” (2002), by Larry Krames (b.1940). Terra cotta, 10” tall. © 2002 Larry Krames. For more of Larry Krames’ work, see his Instagram . [Added 4.11.2019]

Medal, Bohemian Club, 2002. Designed by Larry Krames (b. 1940). The Bohemian Club presented this medal, as a gift of thanks, to each member of the cast of Emperor Norton: A Command Performance, the 2002 Grove Play, performed on 26 July 2002. An item mentioning the medal appeared in the August 2002 newsletter of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association, here. Source: eBay. [Added 11.3.2017]

The Emperor Norton Award, known as "the Joshua," originally designed and sculpted in 2003 by Paul Groendes. Created by Tachyon Publications and Borderland Books, two of these Awards were presented annually from 2003 to 2011 to honor works of science fiction / fantasy / horror, writers of these works and other distinguished contributors to the field. Statuettes were produced until 2008. Source: Jack Vance [Added 6.27.2016]

Gay Dollar, 2005 (reverse side). Designed and minted by GayDollarSF to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Imperial Court by drag performer Jose Sarria (1922–2013), the first openly gay person to run for public office in the United States. The front of the coin, which can be viewed here, featured a depiction of Sarria in his persona as The Widow Norton. Source: Nancy Niche. [Added 7.11.2016]

"Emperor Norton I" (2009), by Dan Barrett. Cut and pasted watercolor paper. © 2009 Dan Barrett. Source: Deviant Art . [Added 7.13.2016]

Sculpture of Emperor Norton, 2010, by Daniel Macchiarini (b.1953) and his daughter, Emma Macchiarini. Based on one of two 21" maquettes of Emperor Norton sculpted c.1936–40 by Dan’s father, Peter Macchiarini (1909–2001). This casting, by Piero Mussi at Artworks Foundry in Berkeley, Calif., presides over the main bar at Comstock Saloon, San Francisco. Source: Gianni's North Beach [Added 6.27.2016]

Sculpture of Emperor Norton, 2010, by Daniel Macchiarini (b.1953) and his daughter, Emma Macchiarini. Based on one of two 21" maquettes of Emperor Norton sculpted c.1936–40 by Dan’s father, Peter Macchiarini (1909–2001). This casting, by Piero Mussi at Artworks Foundry in Berkeley, Calif., presides over the main bar at Comstock Saloon, San Francisco. Source: Macchiarini Creative Design [Added 6.27.2016]

Emperor Norton (2011), by Robert Cooper. © 2011 Robert Cooper. Source: Robert Cooper [Added 6.27.2016]

Mural in bottle caps, 2011, by Scott Bowers. Lost, 2020. Previously located at 2785 Bryant Street, San Francisco. Photograph © 2011 Dave Schweisguth. [Added 6.28.2016]

Emperor Norton doll, 2011, by Kook Teflon (b. 1973). Hand-stitched cotton textile, vintage fabrics, acrylic paint. 15”h x 8”w. Part of the artist’s installation, A Century of Barbary Eccentrics, at 1035 Guerrero Street, San Francisco, 26 February–1 April 2011 (see here, here and here). Kook Teflon’s website. [Added 7.1.2021]

"Emperor Norton" (2012), by Jeremy Fish (b. 1974). Located in the "upper room" at Emperor Norton's Boozeland, San Francisco. Photograph: Fifty24SF (“Jeremy Fish New Works @ Fify24SF & Upper Playground,” 18 August 2012) [Added 6.30.2016]

Emperor Norton, 2014, by Kaytea Petro (b. 1978). Bas-relief. Image courtesy of the artist. Artist’s website. [Added 7.4.2021]

A miniature in the Nortoning series, 2016, by Aaron Almanza. © 2016 Aaron Almanza. Source: Aaron Almanza . [Added 6.30.2016]

Royal Wedding, 2017, by Kaytea Petro (b. 1978). High fire stoneware with underglaze and decals. This piece imagining the union of Emperor Norton and “the Empress Dowager Norton” (José Sarria) is part of Petro’s Sanctuary City series. Detail view here. Photographs by the artist. Petro’s website. [Added 7.4.2021]

ARENA :: Visual Arts

Sculptures & Fabrications