Restoration work on the neon sign at El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Ariz., was finished Thursday, reported owner Sam Frisher in an email.
Here are photos of workers laboring over the sign:
Also, Frisher gave this fascinating report about the work on El Trovatore Motel’s tower sign on the back of the property:
We did find on the top of the tower a facinating piece of memorabilia, which is the original beacon made by Benjamin, patent number 7060, which has a magnifying globe. We are considering donating the whole piece to the local Kingman Route 66 museum.
A photo of the beacon:
Frisher also wrote:
In the next week and half our website will be functional and will display our motif theme room collection, such as Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Clint Eastwood, Audrey Hepburn, Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, The Rat Pack, Humphey Bogart and, of course, Andy Devine, which we are located on 1440 E. Andy Devine on Route 66, Kingman, Ariz.
(Images and footage courtesy of Sam Frisher)
To be honest? That “Benjamin” piece is just a run of the mill outdoor weatherproof lighting fixture. That’s just standard glass, not “magnifying”. The imperfections in the glass casting makes it look like it magnifies. If the manufacturer wanted to “amplify” the light, it would have a fresnel lens on it, not plain glass. (Which is, unfortunately, what it is.)
It has the history of being on Route 66, to be sure, but it’s not any sort of a special piece, beacon or magnifier. It’s no more special than a streetlight along the route would be.
Also, Patent #7060 is for a cement mixer, not anything to do with lighting.
Sorry.