Signature: "faithfully/yours/Norton I./Emperor.", 3½ x 2½. Businessman Joshua Norton (1811-1880), who arrived in San Francisco during the 1849 Gold Rush, made over $250,000 in one year. He capitalized on land investments and tried to corner the market on rice. With eggs selling for $1.00 each, rice seemed a sure investment; however, incoming ships brought tons more, dropping prices. By 1853, Norton was bankrupt. Six years later, he re-emerged with a bizarre advertisement in the San Francisco "Evening Bulletin": "…I, Joshua Norton…declare and proclaim myself Emperor of these United States…and Protector of Mexico". The citizens who took notice at all thought it was a joke, but Norton himself never realized that they did not take him seriously. The Commander of Presidio, the army garrison, donated a uniform to him. Others gave him free meals, the city presented him to Emperor Dom Pedro II in 1876, and soon the booming city loved their unconventional character. As final tribute, San Francisco placed a monument declaring him "Norton I. Emperor". Slightly creased. Lightly soiled at lower margin. Fine condition. Framed to an overall size of 24x17. Minor chip at frame lower front.

His extremely rare signed cabinet photograph (4x5) Cabinet Photograph signed: "S.F. Smith." Sepia, 4x6½ overall, image 4x5½, (two surfaces). Not mounted on customary cabinet photographic board. Glued to a 7x9½ sheet that has been affixed to a 9½x11½ page. Captioned: "The Notman Photographic Co. Limited/3 Park Street-2184 Boylston Street, Boston." Signed on image. After a visit to Germany in 1831, 23-year-old theological student Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), impressed that German children started their school day by singing a hymn, wrote a patriotic hymn using a simple German melody. Coincidentally, the melody was the same as that of the British national anthem, "God Save the King". Smith jotted down the complete hymn on a piece of scrap paper within half an hour, and the result, "America", was first sung at a children's celebration in Boston's Park Street Church on July 4, 1832. George Gershwin used Smith's phrase "Of Thee I Sing" as the title of his 1932 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted the entire first stanza as he concluded his "I have a dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. Signed cabinet photographs of Smith are extremely desirable and rarely appear on the market.

Young and his wife Mary Ann Young sign a document agreeing to sell land in Salt Lake City (1873). Partly Printed Document signed: "Brigham Young" [added in another hand: "Sen"], 4 pages, 8½x14. Salt Lake City, Utah, 1873 July 29. Also signed "Mary A Young"; witnessed "R.R. Anderson" and "Jas. A. Young". An indenture in which Young agrees to sell a 6,600 square foot tract of land in Salt Lake City to David McKenzie for $20,000. Signed on front. Notary's seal on inside cover. BRIGHAM YOUNG (1801-1877) succeeded the murdered Joseph Smith as head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844. He guided the mass migration of the LDS faithful ("Mormons") to the Great Salt Lake Valley in Utah and served as the first Governor of the Territory of Utah (1849-1857). "Sen" distinguishes Young from Brigham Young, Jr. (1836-1903), a son by Mary who held important posts in the Church. MARY ANN YOUNG (1834-1882) was Young's second (and likely, favorite) wife, agreeable to his wedding additional wives. Lightly creased and soiled. Overall, fine condition.

Signed sepia-toned cabinet card photo of Samuel Francis Smith, the man who wrote the hymn America Photograph Mount signed: "S. Fr. Smith." B/w sepia-toned, 4¼x6 overall, image 4x5¼ (two surfaces). After a visit to Germany in 1831, 23-year-old theological student Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), impressed that German children started their school day by singing a hymn, wrote a patriotic hymn using a simple German melody. Coincidentally, the melody was the same as that of the British national anthem, "God Save the King". Smith jotted down the complete hymn on a piece of scrap paper within half an hour, and the result, "America", was first sung at a children's celebration in Boston's Park Street Church on July 4, 1832. George Gershwin used Smith's phrase "Of Thee I Sing" as the title of his 1932 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted the entire first stanza as he concluded his "I have a dream" speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. Stray ink smudge on mount above signature. Slightly soiled at upper left and right edges of mount. Otherwise, fine condition.