Joel Rayburn of GlassBoy Studios in the Oklahoma City area unveiled three smaller re-creations of classic Route 66 neon signs during the Rockabilly on the Route festival in Tucumcari, New Mexico, this weekend.
The re-created signs are El Cajon Motel in San Bernardino, California, a Whiting Bros. Motel sign in San Fidel, New Mexico, and an early version of the Blue Swallow Motel sign in Tucumcari, circa 1952.
The Blue Swallow sign now will take up permanent residence at the motel. Rayburn said the Whiting Bros. sign is sold, and the other likely will be bought by a client in Canada.
Rayburn wrote in a text message from the festival:
Other signs are on the drawing board, and custom pieces are available for those who have a favorite vintage sign from the Mother Road, or elsewhere. Signs average about four feet wide, making them suitable for hanging indoors. Signs can also be displayed outdoors, but should be sheltered from rain and hail. Each piece is hand-crafted from scratch, using no power tools. Prices start at $2500.00, To find out more, contact Joel at: joel(at)glassboystudios(dot)com
We are trying our best to make our commissioned signs affordable to the mom and pop storefronts on the Route, so that the Route can be lit once again. This is the main drive behind what we are doing!
We are making lost signs from each state. and working on fantasy signs from each state for Roadside attractions that never had signs. I thought I would display all the signs, but people really fell in love with them, so, it looks like I am going to be a busy GlassBoy when I get home.
Rayburn also recently created Tourist Trap Tees that are inspired by weird or ghostly legends along the Mother Road.
(Image of GlassBoy Studios work by Joel Rayburn)