The word neon comes from the Greek “neos”, meaning “the new gas”. Neon gas was discovered by William Ramsey and M. W. Travers in 1898 in London. The French engineer, chemist, and inventor Georges Claude was the first person to apply an electrical discharge to a sealed tube of neon gas around 1902 in order to create a lamp. Georges Claude displayed the first neon lamp to the public on December 11, 1910, in Paris.

In 1923, Georges Claude and his French company Claude Neon, introduced neon gas signs to the United States, by selling two signs to a Packard car dealership in Los Angeles. Earle C. Anthony purchased the signs reading “Packard” for $24,000 and ever since that day the public have been fascinated and captivated by neon signs dubbed “liquid fire”.

Everywhere, in major cities to small towns across the country, there are signs trying to grab your attention. But perhaps no sign is as clearly visible and eye catching both during the night and the day as a neon sign. With its bright neon coloring and custom shapes, neon signs are some of the most attractive as well as effective signs for getting consumers to notice your business. Even with the flood of new lighting technology, neon signs have endured the test of time as a beautiful eye-catching marketing tool for nearly a century.

San Signs & Awnings have been proudly carrying this legacy as a leader in custom neon signage for over 30 years. We design and supply custom neon signs that are unique and elevates your business above your competition.

While the cost of neon signs have greatly been reduced from the days of Earl C Anthony, their effectiveness have not diminished in the slightest.