Kevin Flankey reminisced about his college days in Tampa when he drove to campus on a long, lonely stretch of highway in dense early morning fog.
Like a sea captain seeking a lighthouse, he watched each day for a familiar beacon through the gloomy mist: a red neon clock glowing in a convenience store window.
After Flankey graduated, the memory of the reassuring clock was tucked away in hissubconsciousness-until triggered by a similar clock he saw for sale a few years later. Flankey, of Orlando, bought it and joined the growing ranks of neon clock collectors.
Beginning on the East and West Coasts in the early `80s, the nostalgic wave is spreading to the rest of the United States as well as Europe and Japan. Clock companies that manufacture reproductions of vintage styles or new avant-garde designs likewise enjoy a thriving market.
While prices upward of $4,500 have been reported for authentic vintage clocks, a basic clock circled by one neon tube typically costs $250 to $300. Models using more than one tube, neon lettering or other extras can run from $500 to $1,500. Condition and rarity also influence price. As with any other collectible, prices are higher in big cities.
Flankey said competition for old neon clocks is heating up, even for those in such poor condition that they`re useful only for parts.
”I keep an eye on businesses that have neon clocks. When they go up for sale or change ownership, I ask the owner if he`d sell the clock. Lately, owners have told me that they`ve been getting other offers. Sometimes they sell, but sometimes their sentimental attachment to the clock is too strong.” Neon clocks first cast their light in the early 1930s. Used mainly as advertising for such businesses as diners, dry cleaners, shoe-repair shops, gas stations and funeral homes, they prevailed until the mid-`50s, when lighted plastic signs became widespread. Because their esthetic value was not widely recognized at the time, many neon clocks were discarded.
It is highly unlikely that any are winding up in the junkyard now. Apart from their investment value, neon clocks are sought as prizes by those who fondly remember them from a soda fountain or neighborhood bar and grill.
Collectors also mention the almost mystical allure the clocks radiate, beckoning all toward the pulsating electrified light.
”There`s a mesmerizing quality about this stuff that people just like to stare at,” said collector Blake Shane, whose North Hollywood, Calif., company Whistling Oyster manufactures reproduction vintage neon clock styles. ”Clocks are popular because they combine that appeal of neon with function.”
The novel designs that were popular during the golden age of neon clocks are the same desired by collectors: Clocks with faces in every geometrical shape from round to octagonal, neon script or block lettering, metal ziggurat designs around the face, or a slotted aluminum ”chaser” wheel that slowly rotates over the neon to create an optical effect.
Major manufacturers-all defunct-included the Electric Neon Clock Co. of Cleveland and Glow-Dial of Los Angeles and Lima, Ohio. Several smaller manufacturers were based in Buffalo, N.Y. To avoid breakage, clocks were shipped without neon tubing, which was added at their destination by neon shops. New companies ship with the neon intact by using special packing materials or recessing the tubes flush with the dial.
Clocks exposed to the elements for 30 to 40 years may suffer cracked glass cases or broken neon tubes. Overall, however, the vintage models are hardy. A transformer, which boosts the voltage needed to run neon, can last well over 10 years; tubes, 50 years or longer. Broken tubes can even be welded and repaired.
Neon repairs are fairly inexpensive, said Lester Sutton of Sutton Neon Signs Inc. in Orlando. Prices start at about $20, with an average cost of $30 to $40 if disassembly is required. Sutton stressed that neon is safe and can be used with standard household current. The gases sealed in the tube are inert, posing no danger if the tube is broken.
”Many people don`t realize that neon can be fixed,” said Shane, who recommends that collectors of vintage clocks look for those in sound condition.
”The clock mechanism is very durable-all of the old manufacturers used the same movements. If it doesn`t work when you plug the clock in, clean and lubricate it. The condition of the neon itself should be the next
consideration. Some collectors insist on mint condition, but others appreciate the signs of age.”
Shane`s interest in original neon clocks led to his career in creating new versions of the old styles, some of which are based on those by Glow-Dial. Mostly custom-ordered, the clocks feature wide script or block lettering around the face, which may have a silk-screened picture. Stock designs include a clock that reads ”Flamingo Hotel” in pastel green, pink and blue.
”Women are ordering personalized clocks for kitchens to read things like `Betty`s Kitchen,` ” Shane said. ”Men order clocks that read `Phil`s Bar`
or `Phil`s Place.` They`re also used outside for pool bars and cabanas, where the neon creates a focal point and adds an accent to other outdoor lighting.” ”Neon clocks have definitely moved into the home,” said Naomi Reindl, who with husband Dennis owns Better Times, a San Diego company that makes neon clocks. The company specializes in styles evocative of Art Deco and `50s design and sells restoration parts for old clocks.
”People are looking at neon more as a decorative item,” Reindl said.
”One woman who ordered a custom clock designed her kitchen around the neon`s hot pink, blue and green colors.”
New-wave neon clocks by the Electric Art Co. of St. Louis incorporate geometric designs and modern graphics to fit contemporary decors. Company owner Greg Dolnick said the bold neon displays in shopping mall store windows inspired him to interpret their energetic, sophisticated look through clocks, neon-rimmed wall sconces and wall hangings.
”I hate the word `trendy` when people describe neon clocks,” Dolnick said, ”because I don`t think they`ll ever go out of style again. The interest is more than a fad-it`s an appreciation of a unique art form.” –
