The historic neon sign of the Carlyle Motel on Route 66 in Oklahoma City is listed for sale on eBay after its owners removed it several weeks ago.
Steve Davis, whose eBay account is mr.classicars, has the sign listed for $99, but it carries an unnamed minimum price. The auction ends March 3.
According to the description:
Was operational, up until the time it was removed, and replaced by a much smaller backlit sign.
We have about half the working neon tubing which was salvaged prior to the sign being removed. Also, we have the broken tubing which could be repaired.
This sign was constructed by Superior Neon and built in 1958, according to date codes found on the sign.
Overall dimensions of the main sign which reads CARLYLE MOTEL, 19′ 9″ wide, 20″ deep by 9’7″ tall. The portion that says CARLYLE could be removed from the lower portion which reads MOTEL.
The segment that reads TV PHONES is 12’9″ by 20″deep and 24″ tall.
There is a third segment, which reads NO VACANCY which is about 12′ in length 20″ deep and 48″ tall, the bottom of which has a corrugated plastic insert which to hang plastic letters from, such as WELCOME GUESTS. The corrugated plastic was brittle and fell apart when the sign was removed. We saved enough for patterns.
The listing includes a number of before-and-after photos of the sign.
I obviously would have preferred the sign stay where it was for 55 years. But at least an effort was made to secure it, and someone now can own a sizable piece of Route 66 history.
UPDATE 1/7/2014: A sharp-eyed reader noted that an eBay seller apparently cut up the sign and sold it in pieces.
(Hat tip to Liberty Images)
So, who bought it? It would be cool if someone bought it and put it back in front of a motel.