The first neon advertising sign was used for a Parisian barber in 1912. Since then, neon has been used to add color highlights to porcelain signs and advertising clocks, and to create highly ornate and even 'animated' neon signs for a wide variety of brands and retail establishments.
Some of the most collectible neon signs were custom-made or produced in small quantities in the 1940s and 50s for restaurants, shops, clubs, bars, hotels, burger joints, ice cream parlors, auto dealerships, gas stations, you name it. Then there are the more recent mass-produced neon signs, both outdoor and indoor, often representing beverage companies like Budweiser, Coca Cola, Pepsi, and other beer and soda brands.
As with all signs, condition is key, but especially with neon, since replacing it can be an expensive custom job, don't forget to find out if the neon still works!
Interviews & Articles
Neon Lost and Found: Where New York City Still Burns Bright

This time of year, when the sun goes down early, neon comes into focus. While neon lighting may be losing out to LED and lighted p… [more]
The Disappearing Art of Porcelain Signs

I liked to collect things even as a child. Things that didn’t cost anything, like different colors of stones. There was somethin… [more]
Signs, Tins, and Other Advertising Antiques

How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art from the 1960s onwards,… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Advertising Antiques

This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [read review or visit site]
Historical Marker Database

If you're the type who pulls over when you see a 'historic marker ahead' sign, you'll love this site. Orchestrated … [read review or visit site]
Pittsburgh Signs Project

This group artistic effort to catalog the signs of Pittsburgh captures many vintage signs (porcelain, neon, wood, t… [read review or visit site]
Falvo Collectables Gallery

Ralph and Carol Falvo's excellent collection of automobiles, petroliana, jukeboxes, soda, and general store items. … [read review or visit site]
Other Great Reference Sites: Signs
Top eBay Auctions
Recent News: Neon Signs
Source: Google News
A Victorian bar works its magic
Haaretz, May 25thWe were walking down Trumpeldor Street on the way to Hayarkon Street and the seashore, when a neon sign attracted our attention. “Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar,” the sign flashed temptingly, and a new hope stole into the heart of a drinker and fool...Read more
Paulann Petersen, Oregon's poet laureate, spreads the word
OregonLive.com, May 25thMy dad was a sheet-metal mechanic and he worked for neon sign companies, Columbia Neon ... I do remember as a kid we would go out in the car and drive around and he had these little signs that you would hang on someone's door and they said, 'Your...Read more
Full of history, but out of room
The Tennessean, May 25thSome of the more well-known items on display include part of the Randy's Record Shop sign, the neon sign for the Sumner Drive-In, and the 1927 American LeFrance Pumper that was the Gallatin Fire Department's first pumper engine. The museum is also...Read more
Amboy Foundation Looks for Funding Support via Kickstarter to Restore the ...
SBWire (press release), May 24thLos Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/24/2013 -- Route 66 has been marked by Roy's Cafe neon sign in Amboy, Ca since 1959. The immediate need served by this project is to stabilize and repair this long-standing monument sign. A need continues beyond an...Read more
Budweiser sign, Hollywood district landmark, to be replaced in Northeast Portland
OregonLive.com, May 22ndThe new neon sign, which should be completed in the next two weeks, will display the word "Hollywood" on the bottom as a nod to the community and the building's place in its history. "So we get a little promotion for our our little neighborhood here...Read more
Made in the Valley: Fresno Neon Sign Company
ABC30.com, May 15thFRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Neon Sign Company has made many memorable neon signs over the years -- from the Security Bank sign in Downtown Fresno to the original Manchester Center sign...Read more
After 30 Years, Historic Manor Neon Sign to Shine Again
Patch.com, May 14thThe historic Manor Shopping Center neon sign on the corner of Manor Boulevard and Farnsworth Street will be lit on May 24. Posted by Analisa Harangozo (Editor), May 14, 2013 at 03:34 pm. Comment Recommend. Flag as Inappropriate. The historic Manor...Read more
New Owner of Former Lord's Says He Will Work with Town Regarding Neon Sign
Patch.com, April 29thThe owner of the former Lord's Department Store says he plans to work cooperatively with the town to save the neon sign that sat above the front door for the majority of time the store was in business (1940-2013). "We understand the sign has some...Read more
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