The Divine Lorraine Neon Restoration Project

Thanks to Len Davison of Davidon Neon, Empress Signs LLC. just got an opportunity to work on the Historic Divine Lorraine Neon restoration Project!...

Len Davidson, Davidson Neon Museum Curator and Author of Vintage Neon, has gotten his hands on a vintage sign from the heart of Philadelphia's Divine Lorraine Hotel. 

The first Neon Sign to be restored is a 5' long Hot Pink Neon Sign that reads, COMMUNION TABLE. Next, I hope to receive parts of the Iconic Rooftop sign for the Divine Lorraine Hotel.

My mother once shared very fond memories about the Divine Lorraine Hotel with my brother and I, and she may have even taken us there when we were very small, something I cannot confirm due to her passing a over decade ago.

The Divine Lorraine Hotel was the brain-child of one, Father Divine (aka George Baker or Reverend Major Jealous Divine). 

His hotel was the first of its class in Philadelphia, or indeed in the United States, to be fully racially integrated.

He was known to serve elaborate dinners in a grand communal dinning hall with meals that were only .25 each. My mother often comment on how orderly and wholesome the meals were. She often quote the one sign that stood out for her throughout the dining hall. The signs read "Take all That You Want but Eat all You Take", a testimony to Father Divines Prudent sense of charity. 

I always tried to imagine what the inside was like, considering how predominate the Divine Lorraine edifice  stood long after the incredible charitable icon closed its doors. Now I have a piece of her the Divine on my workbench and I am looking forward to my roll in bringing this small piece of history back to life in time for the long awaited Divine Lorraine revamp.

For Custom Neon Signs & Lighting Call Empress Signs LLC (856) 784-2767 

President Obama is "Helping" China See the Light

At last, there IS definitely a Neon Light at the end of the tunnel! This powerful and telling statement just came in from one of my most reliable trade groups via the Neon list-server, Neon-L.

I've noticed some of the cheapo import neon sign retailers (neonsigXXXX.com, etc.) seem to have raised prices - some dramatically . Also learned one of the larger ones whom has a corporate office here in Austin is closing. - liquidating all signs in stock. Increased labor costs in China? Too much shipping damage? A year or two ago you could get a custom neon sign made and shipped from overseas for 200.00. Almost impossible to find that now. - John Anderson

In response, OH HAPPY DAYS!!!

"Neon Glassbenders were like canaries in the coal mine, relative to the economic health of America during the "crash", so, we too are front-line witnesses of a slow but steady rise in construction amounting to small business activity that  translates into New Neon Sign Orders.

Reverberating through American markets are low rumblings of actual progress (see stock market's highest earnings in 5 years in early March), and I don't have to tell you, that means brighter days ahead!"


 While our Congress is showing themselves to be an incapable bunch of twits on the budget front, it is apparent to me that President Obama is making significant policy changes on the Imports front. Of course, news of war and international intrigue make the headlines, so we'll just have to wait for these reports of recent China Deficit "Corrections", to surface to mainstream after the so-called fiscal "cliffhanger" is past us for better or worse.

 IMO, We can all Lighten Up now... Barring war, I feel the worst is over :)