Finocchios (5 results)
More images- Softcover
Seller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
Contact seller5-star seller[LGBTQ] [Drag] Archive of Finocchio's nightclub materials, 1940s-1950s, one of the earliest and most influential drag venues in the United States. Founded in 1936 at 506 Broadway in San Francisco, Finocchio's emerged from Depression-era nightlife to become a nationally recognized stage for female impersonation at a time when que…er expression was routinely policed and publicly stigmatized. Operating decades before the gay liberation movement, the club cultivated a space where gender illusion, theatrical glamour, and camp spectacle were presented for mixed audiences, from San Francisco's gay community to tourists and Hollywood figures. Six items. San Francisco, 1940s-1950s. The archive is anchored by a large-format performance booklet featuring illustrated cover artwork by performer and artist Li-Kar and interior photographic portraits of principal female impersonators in elaborate costume. Substantially larger than standard venue handouts, the booklet is a visually ambitious souvenir, highlighting star performers through graphic design and photography. Also included are a smaller illustrated promotional drink menu and four souvenir postcards depicting the revue cast in sequined gowns, chorus-line formations, and staged tableaux. Measurements range approximately from 4 x 6 inches to 8 x 11 inches. During the 1940s and 1950s, as policing of queer bars intensified in many American cities, Finocchio's maintained a visible and commercially successful presence, marketing itself with the slogan "The most interesting women are not women at all." Its stage featured performers who helped bring female impersonation into mainstream entertainment in the U.S. Minor edge wear and light handling creases; printed surfaces remain bright with strong image clarity. Overall very good condition.
More images- Softcover
Seller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
Contact seller5-star sellerFinocchio's nightclub promotional materials documenting female impersonation performances in San Francisco during the mid twentieth century. Finocchio's opened in 1936 and became one of the most visible American venues devoted to stage performances by female impersonators, attracting both tourists and members of the local queer…community. The club's revue shows formed an early center of drag performance culture in the United States during decades when homosexuality and gender nonconformity were widely policed through legal and social restrictions. Through illustrated programs, performer imagery, and promotional materials, the archive documents the theatrical presentation of gender impersonation and the commercial nightlife environment that supported early drag entertainers in San Francisco. Archive of seven items produced by Finocchio's nightclub in San Francisco consisting of one illustrated performance booklet from the 1940s, four color real photo postcards depicting performers in costume, and two promotional drink menus printed in black and orange. The illustrated program features cover artwork by the performer and illustrator Li-Kar depicting a stage performer holding theatrical female masks, with interior pages containing photographs and short biographies of performers appearing in the nightclub revue. The postcards portray performers wearing elaborate gowns, wigs, and theatrical makeup associated with female impersonation stage performances. The drink menus include an illustrated exterior view of the nightclub on the front covers, while interior pages incorporate photographs of performers and entertainment promotions connected to the club's nightly shows. Finocchio's became widely known within mid twentieth century entertainment culture as a nightclub dedicated to female impersonation performances, hosting performers described at the time as female impersonators including figures such as Aleshia Brevard and other artists associated with the revue. Advertisements and promotional materials sometimes used the slogan "The most interesting women are not women at all," highlighting the theatrical illusion central to the performances. The venue attracted diverse audiences and reportedly counted entertainers such as Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland among its visitors. Finocchio's operated for more than six decades before closing in 1999, leaving a documented legacy within the history of drag performance and LGBTQ nightlife in the United States. Program covers and postcards retain strong color. Moderate wear to booklet wrappers with a small tear at the upper corner; other items show light handling wear. Overall condition very good.
More images- Softcover
Seller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
Contact seller5-star sellerFinocchio's nightclub promotional materials documenting the culture of female impersonation performances in San Francisco during the mid-twentieth century. Founded in 1936, Finocchio's became one of the most widely known venues in the United States devoted to stage performances by female impersonators, attracting audiences that…included both tourists and members of the local queer community. The club operated during decades when homosexuality and gender nonconformity were frequently subject to legal and social policing, yet its theatrical revues became an enduring feature of San Francisco nightlife. Through illustrated programs, promotional materials, and performer imagery, the archive records an important site in the history of American drag performance and LGBTQ entertainment culture. Archive of six items produced by Finocchio's nightclub in San Francisco consisting of two illustrated performance booklets, three color real photo postcards depicting performers in costume, and one promotional matchbook cover bearing the club's name. The illustrated programs date from the 1940s and 1950s and feature cover artwork by the illustrator Li-Kar. One booklet depicts a male performer holding theatrical female masks, referencing the club's female impersonation shows, while the later program presents performers dressed as showgirls walking down a theatrical catwalk. The postcards portray stage performers wearing elaborate gowns, wigs, and theatrical makeup typical of the revue style performances presented at the club. The matchbook cover serves as promotional advertising for the venue and reflects the nightclub's branding during its period of peak popularity. Throughout the mid twentieth century Finocchio's hosted performers identified at the time as female impersonators, including figures such as Aleshia Brevard and other stage artists associated with the nightclub's revue shows. Advertisements and promotional materials frequently emphasized the theatrical spectacle of the performances, sometimes using slogans such as "The most interesting women are not women at all." Finocchio's maintained a long presence within San Francisco entertainment culture, drawing audiences that included visiting celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. The club operated for more than six decades before closing in 1999, leaving behind a documented legacy within the history of drag performance and LGBTQ nightlife in the United States. Program covers and postcards retain strong color. The 1950s booklet shows moderate wear to wrappers with a small tear at the upper corner; other items show minor handling wear. Overall condition very good.
More images- Softcover
Seller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
Contact seller5-star sellerFinocchio's nightclub in San Francisco became one of the most influential venues for female impersonation performance in the United States during the twentieth century and played a central role in the development of modern drag culture. Established in the mid 1930s, the club presented elaborate stage revues featuring performers…known at the time as female impersonators and attracted both local audiences and tourists seeking theatrical nightlife entertainment. Finocchio's became widely known for showcasing performers whose acts blended costume, music, comedy, and impersonation, and the venue contributed significantly to the visibility of gender performance traditions within American LGBTQ cultural history. Archive contains six pieces of promotional and printed material associated with Finocchio's nightclub in San Francisco. Items include two "Fabulous Finocchio's" brochure style mailing souvenirs containing promotional photographs of performers, a small booklet with cover illustration by Li Kar depicting stage performers and including brief profiles of members of the club's lineup, a black and white drink menu with an illustration of the nightclub on the cover and interior photographs of performers, a color real photo postcard showing performers in costume, and a red matchbook cover bearing the address of the nightclub. The materials document how the club promoted its stage productions through illustrated brochures, printed menus, and souvenir items distributed to patrons and visitors. Throughout the mid twentieth century Finocchio's remained a prominent entertainment destination in San Francisco and one of the longest running venues devoted to female impersonation revues. The performances featured a rotating cast of entertainers and helped establish San Francisco as a major center of drag performance and LGBTQ nightlife. Public fascination with the elaborate stage presentations drew a wide range of audiences, including visiting tourists and entertainment figures. The venue remained active for more than six decades before closing at the end of the twentieth century, leaving a substantial legacy within the history of drag performance in the United States. Printed materials remain bright with light handling wear consistent with age. Very good condition overall and a representative group of ephemera from a historically significant drag performance venue.
More imagesSeller: Max Rambod Inc, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.Max Rambod Inc
Contact seller5-star sellerArchive of drag performance and female impersonation music ephemera, 1910s-1950s, documents the role of stage performance, popular song, and nightclub culture in the development of early twentieth century queer entertainment. The material centers on performers who shaped female impersonation traditions in vaudeville, cabaret, an…d nightclub circuits, preserving evidence of repertoire, publicity, and audience engagement. Figures such as Karyl Norman and Bert Errol appear through attributed sheet music, situating the archive within a transatlantic performance culture in which gender impersonation functioned as both theatrical convention and queer expression. Five pieces of sheet music and related memorabilia, measuring approximately 9 x 12 to 10 x 14 inches. Two sheet music titles associated with Karyl Norman include I'm Through (Shedding Tears Over You) and Nobody Lied (When They Said I Cried Over You), reflecting the popular song repertoire of female impersonators active from the late 1910s through the 1940s. One sheet is attributed to Bert Errol performing Gimme a Little Kiss Will Ya Huh?, a standard adapted within impersonation performance contexts. The archive also includes a 1950s promotional pamphlet for Club My-O-My, a venue known for female impersonation shows, featuring the tagline "The World's Most Beautiful Boys in Women's Attire" and illustrated with black and white photographs of performers in formal gowns, wigs, and stage makeup. Spanning the period from vaudeville through midcentury nightclub entertainment, the material reflects the persistence and evolution of drag performance prior to the emergence of modern LGBTQ+ political movements. The combination of printed music and promotional imagery supports research into performance history, gender expression, and the commercial infrastructure of queer nightlife. Minor wear to some covers; materials remain clean and visually strong; overall very good condition.
