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Neon Is Back!
By Joan Bramsch, Fri Dec 9th
NEON IS BACK! And That's a Good Sign by Joan Bramsch (c)copyright: 1996 Everywhere you look these days, there's Neon. Seems likeeveryone is finally "seeing the light" of razzle-dazzle Neon inall its raucous, sinuous beauty. Television programs reflect thepublic's renewed interest in the bright illumination. On arecent NBC Homicide program entitled "Murder In Neon,"theopening scene featured The New Moon Motel sign in electric blueneon. It set the mood for the story -- exciting and mysterious. Alex's Show and Sisters television series both open with neonsigns. But my favorite is the John Larroquette Show opening,when he strolls alongside the big red and green neon sign andgives it a thump to stop the blinking message. Great stuff!Whimsy and fun, along with bright colors bordering on gaudy areimportant elements in fulfilling Neon's main job as a powerfulvisual medium. To understand how the color gets inside the glasstubes however, calls for some background information. JacobFishman, one of America's great neon artists, created anexcellent video production - "Introduction To Neon" - that tellsabout neon's roots, as well as, provides a real-timedemonstration of how neon is made. (For information call1-800-747-9115, or visit his web site for neon supplies athttp://www.lightwriters.com/nw)
The History of Neon The word Neon comes from the Greek "neos,"meaning "The New Gas." Old Neon signs are most often neon orargon gas in a vacuum tube; the smaller the diameter of thetube, the more intense the light produced and the higher thevoltage required to illuminate it. A word of caution here: Oldneon sign transformers can be very dangerous. DO NOT plug in anold neon sign if you are unsure of its operating condition.Better safe, than sorry! The neon sign is attributed to GeorgesClaude who popularized it in Paris in 19l0. The Lights Fantasticwas brought to America in 1923. Earle C. Anthony purchased twosigns for $24,000, money enough to purchase a small bungalow ortwo automobiles, and installed them in his Los Angeles Packarddealership. It is said, one sign still glows in the night! Although there are now more than 150 neon colors possible bycombining different gases like Krypton, xenon and helium, twofavorites remain -- a fiery orange-red neon gas called Ruby Redand a soft lavender argon gas that turns a brilliant blue whenenhanced with a drop or two of mercury. Another blue - BromoBlue - named from the popular deep blue Bromo-Seltzer bottle, isa glass color made from Cobalt. In the early years neon signs stopped traffic as people staredin fascination. The so-called "Liquid Fire" captivated thepublic and it wasn't long before neon was everywhere. Theatermarquee, night club and restaurant signs became an integral partof the streamlined American landscape. Neon became the light of the American Dream. Technology createdeven more colors and by the 50's pink and turquoise started tocover the new drive-ins and diners, matching girl's felt poodleskirts and boy's ruffled tuxedo shirts for Prom night. By the 60's bright plastic signs began to appear and neon'sblazing lights, suddenly considered tacky, faded across thenation. During the next ten years neon sign making almost becamea lost art, but in the early 70's a new breed of neoncraftspeople emerged; these artisans expanded the realm of neonfrom advertising signs into the world of art. Artists likeFishman learned to use neon tubing to express his visions. Theresults are nothing less than breath-taking! The Art of Neon American-made hollow glass rods used to makeneon art come in 4-ft lengths. To shape the rods, the glass isheld in a cross-fire, two small groups of pipes arranged in afan shape, each facing the other, and from which gas and forcedair flow. The temperature of that blended flame measuresapproximately 800 degrees F. Without the forced air the flamewould never get hot enough to melt the glass rods. The rod isscored at the needed length with a sharpened file and pulledapart inside the flame. Then the artisan creates right-angles,double-backs and combination bends upon a reversed-pattern paperto form her/his design. All work on a neon lamp/sign must be inreverse because all the plugs and electrical connections are inthe back. When the design
is completed, gas is pumped into thetubing, then electrified and viola! an illuminated work of art. One of the biggest differences between old and new neon is themanner in which each is illuminated. Old neons use heavytransformers made from wrapped copper wire coiled around an ironcore, all of which weighs several pounds. The good part aboutthe weight is that the signs or designs stay right where you putthem, on table or shelf. The new neon signs, however, uselightweight transistorized transformers that weigh mere ouncesin comparison. Therefore, the new signs have to be weighted downsomehow or bracketed against the wall so they won't fall overand break. And yet, many collectors prefer them. According to LaDean Harlow, owner of The Neon Lady in St. Louis,MO ...the "Red Dog" sign is the most popular these days."Baby Boomers, the 90's collectors, are choosing new signs," shesays. "They like the Budweiser Frog, their Palm Tree and redGuitar, too." A good marketing ploy by the companies combines their neonad with a favorite sports team logo. These signs areparticularly popular with rabid hockey and basketball fans.Sometimes a company pays up to half the price of the signsand charges it to their advertising division; thus, these beersigns costs much less to the consumer than other competitivebrand signs. Further evidence of neon's renewed popularity is the growinglist of neon specialty shops in the Yellow Pages. Many of thebusiness names are quite colorful: Neon City, Neon Works, Signsof Distinction to name but a few. The neon manufacturing companies are found in all parts of acity too, rehab areas, as well as, avant-garde and affluentsections. Best of all, neon sites can now be found on theInternet World Wide Web. Jacob Fishman and other artists sellcompetitively on the Web. "We can compete," says Fishman. "Mywork, for example, runs from $150 to the moon!" (Writer's note:Actually, Jacob's artistic Moon sells for quite a bit less thanthe real thing.) The Albuquerque, NM web site athttp://www.wingspread.com/ab/abfa03.html sponsored by Wingspreadpublications features some outstanding photographs of largehistoric signs, as well as, new Neon commercial signs along oldHighway 66. New Marketing Technologies (NMT) at http://www.neonsign.comoffers both new neon signs for sale and a search service for oldneon signs, especially signs. Some of the old rare signssell for several hundred US dollars, even if they don't work! William Cherry, President of NMT, says that many of his searchrequests or special new orders come from Europe. "Although Neonwas invented in France, virtually no one in Europe makes neonnow," he says. "Just last week we shipped a new sign craftedlike a leading German logo. The person who ordered the giftfor the baron had to put the call out to America." NMT is always on the lookout for "Spotters" -- people who seekparticular old signs to fill NMT orders. If you have access toan e-mail address and want to treasure hunt on commission,contact NMT at nmt@neonsign.com for instructions. If you are looking for a favorite old sign for your collectionor want to sell one that's been gathering dust in your basementor attic, e-mail want to treasure hunt on commission, contactNMT at nmt@neonsign.com or write: New Marketing Technologies,Inc., 15505 Bull Run Road, Suite 294, Miami Lakes, FL 33014 orcall (305-822-8842). They'll put out the word to the world. It would seem that a collector's preference for old or new neonis strictly personal. The prices in either group are similar;the colors used and variety of designs are also comparableunless s/he leans more toward one-of-a-kind, price-is-no-objectcreations, rather than advertising signs. The photographsaccompanying this article are of old and new neon signs. Here,one may feast upon the contrasting, though necessary physicalcharacteristics of neon, it's rigidity and fragility ofmaterials that assure a most unique artful drawing in light. BonAppetite!
About the author:JOAN BRAMSCH is a family person, educator, writer andE-publisher. Her articles appear internationally in print andonline. Six of her best-selling adult novels - near one millioncopies - have worldwide distribution. Her Empowered ParentingEzine serves 1000 parents around the globe.http://www.JoanBramsch.com mailto:hijoan@joanbramsch.com
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