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Beech Nut Gum Neon Sign

(Click on image to enlarge it)

c. 1930s or 1940s, 9" tall. I found this in the parking lot at the Chicagoland show around 2005 (give or take) and thought it was way cool. My friend Jamey was looking at it when I first noticed it and we talked about it. He's more into advertising than I am and I thought he'd be a worthy owner---more worthy than I would be, in fact---and he seemed quite smitten with it. I asked if he was gonna buy it and he surprised me by saying no. I said "Really?" with some surprise, and he said he would but he'd flown to the show and didn't have a way to get it back to Texas. I said I was considering it and he said "You should, it's a great piece."

So being the passive follower-type guy that I am, I did just that. The seller claimed that it worked but I didn't know the seller and I couldn't test it in the parking lot. My only concern was that it didn't work as it should, which would kill my interest as a buyer even thought I'd still think it was cool. I asked him if he'd refund my money if I got the sign back to my room and it didn't light, and he said he would---so I paid him. I carried it to my room, plugged it in, and what I saw is as shown on the right above. I knew then that I wouldn't be asking for my money back!

It's 100% original including the cord and plug. I've never seen another like it although I don't watch for neon signs so there may be others. I liked it unlit, but when I saw that the lights shone other than white, any residual doubt about buying it disappeared immediately. It's a noisy bugger when lit; that's the only downside to it.