Chevrolet Neon Dealer Sign

Smokey · #1 02-10-2014, 03:30 PM

I'm looking at a Chevrolet Dealership sign that a friend has. I know its from the 30's and its a dual sided one but only had working neon on 1 side. The left side has some slight damage that wore the porcelain off that I took a pic of. Long story short, I'm interested but don't know the market on them. I don't want to shoot him in the foot with an offer or shoot myself at the same time as I don't know if it would be rude to offer him 3k or is it a 12k sign. I couldn't get great pics of it, but here are a couple of pics of it.

Smokey · #2 02-10-2014, 03:32 PM

Smokey · #3 02-10-2014, 03:33 PM

Smokey · #4 02-10-2014, 04:42 PM

marxjunk · #5 02-10-2014, 04:48 PM

high end... 3 grand gets you one thats been shot, ran overby a train and layed in the back yard for a half a century..

neon make it expensive

**Mr70** · #6 02-10-2014, 06:30 PM

I agree with the previous price quote.Some of these can easily bring 10-20-30+K or more.

Lighted & neon signs are highly desirable by many many people right now,more then ever.
Find out if was really a porcelain Neon lighted sign to begin with,(not just a flat porcelain sign that was later drilled & canned for Neon),as well as not being a 3rd world repro.
Just like the car hobby,many signs that were/are being sold @ auctions today were never neon lighted in their infancy,or were even made overseas & then weathered to look aged.
Some will buy single or doublesided non neon signs,take them home,drill into them & neon light them.They now have a neon lighted sign to sell as "original".
Just like the car hobby,there is a small private database of people keeping track of others buying signs both in person,or on the internet to see how they are resold..i.e. a repro or non drilled neon porcelain sign that XXXX just bought,turns up as a freshly drilled neon lighted sign 2 months later.

The market is being overwhelmed with doctored signs like I just described,as buyers don't do their homework.Rust,chips,dents,scratches & stains can easily be replicated to perceive age & wear,not that I am suggesting yours is.
Although it looks very nice,I can't tell from your photos what you have there.

Smokey · #7 02-12-2014, 04:33 AM

Thanks!

**bergy** · #8 02-12-2014, 09:42 AM

I'm not sure if the old Chevy signs were made the same, but this is an original porcelain Ford sign that I've had for many years. Maybe it will provide some things for you to look for. It would be VERY hard to make a Chinese copy of the little details!