The Neon Racket No One Talks About — Our Decision to Take on an Entire Industry

November 18, 2025 Darrien Eouse

What Happened to Neon and Porcelain Signs?

After 15 years as an auctioneer, I watched something shift — fast.

Cheap, low-quality copies flooded the market. Meanwhile, even the most beat-up original porcelain and neon signs were selling for record prices. What used to be attainable for the average person suddenly moved out of reach.

A handful of deep-pocketed buyers ended up with the best of everything. Good for them — and great for sellers. But for anyone chasing a specific sign for nostalgic reasons, or anyone hoping to start a collection… it became nearly impossible.

And that’s the moment where this entire story really begins.

The Influence That Started It All

My father built one of the most respected U.S. furniture and décor manufacturing businesses of his time — starting with antique frames and mirrors in an old car parts factory in California.
He did it by focusing on value, relationships, and supporting artisans who cared deeply about their craft.

His company supplied national retailers like Rooms to Go, HomeGoods, Costco, Wayfair, and Theodore Alexander.

Growing up in that world taught me something most people never see:

Craftsmanship matters. Authenticity matters. Customers feel the difference.

And that’s why I’m telling you this — because I want you to trust me when I say something bold but true:

You’ve been getting screwed.

The Racket in the Neon Industry

Here’s the truth most people don’t realize:

Everyone online is selling the same junky, mass-produced neon “signs” from the same factories.

If you’ve been to big auction houses or collector car events, you’ve seen modern neon signs that look way better. But they’re never offered to the public.
Why?

Because keeping them exclusive protects perceived value and limits competition.

Then come the games:

• Some listings label signs as “reproductions”
• Some use confusing language
• Some hide disclosures or leave them out entirely

This creates just enough plausible deniability to sell replicas as originals — and they regularly fetch thousands more than they’re worth.

How do I know?
Because I’ve sold them.

I’ve watched bidders pay huge premiums thinking they were buying an original, only to later discover that a tiny asterisk next to the lot number meant “modern reproduction.”

Auctions are as-is, where-is. Once you win… the responsibility (and risk) is 100% yours.

Add in:

• 15–30% buyer’s premiums
• taxes
• crating
• shipping that often costs more than the sign itself

And suddenly that “great deal” becomes a painful lesson.

The Real Reason Nobody Sells Neon

It’s not that people didn’t want high-quality neon.

The demand has always been there.

The problem is that anyone who tried to produce and sell real neon at scale was quickly pressured or pushed out.

When I launched Porcelain Advertising, I learned firsthand that this industry does NOT welcome competition — especially from someone trying to raise the standard.

So how do you compete against a massive manufacturer that controls the entire retail landscape?

You don’t.

Not unless you have customers who believe in what you’re doing.
Not unless you give them something worth rooting for.
Not unless you refuse to compromise.

My father told me constantly:

“A million good ideas aren’t worth one execution. So shut up until you show me.”

That stuck with me. And it shaped every step of what came next.

Why Porcelain Advertising Exists

I built this company because I knew — absolutely knew — that we could make a better product.

Something true to the original era.
Something with weight, presence, and pride.
Something you’d be proud to hang in your garage, shop, game room, or showroom.

We set out to build:

• Real neon — hand-blown glass
• Porcelain enamel — not stickers, not UV-printed sheets
• Heavy-gauge steel cans — not thin sheet metal or plastic
• Authentic colors and fonts inspired by the originals

We refused to make “cheap.”
We refused to take shortcuts.
We refused to compromise quality just to ship fast.

And collectors noticed.

How We Compete Against the Big Guys

From day one, we priced our signs at or below what the online retailers charge for mass-produced neon — even though our quality isn’t even in the same category.

Why?

Because I believed something simple:

People will wait for something that’s actually worth owning.

Turns out… I was right.

Collectors are tired of LED tubes pretending to be neon. They’re tired of flimsy signs. They’re tired of fakes and misleading listings.

The response was immediate and overwhelming.

Orders surged. Interest exploded.
People began sharing photos, stories, reviews — and rooting for what we’re building.

The Challenges and the Progress

We’ve had our share of battles:

• dishonest staff
• coordinated attempts to damage our business
• material shortages
• kiln limitations
• the brutal learning curve of real porcelain enamel

But we never compromised the product.

Today, our neon signs are shipping every day — and they’re even better than we expected.

Every sign represents a step toward restoring authenticity in a market that desperately needs it.

And we’re not slowing down.