The Neon Owl That Lit Up America – NS1567
Inside the Legacy of the Wise Potato Chips Sign
A Beacon from the Roadside
If you’ve ever driven down a sleepy highway and caught a flash of electric blue and yellow glowing from a storefront window, you may have witnessed a legend — the Wise Potato Chips neon sign.
This isn’t just advertising. It’s Americana in neon gas and glass — a hand-crafted slice of history that bridges early 20th-century small-town grit with mid-century advertising brilliance. And at its heart? A glowing, wide-eyed owl that’s been watching over snack lovers for over a century.
Description
The Origin of an
American Classic
The legacy of Wise Potato Chips began in 1921 with a simple case of inventory management in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Grocery store owner Earl Wise found himself with a significant surplus of potatoes and decided to slice, fry, and salt them to prevent waste. This resourceful solution transformed a perishable problem into a local sensation, laying the foundation for Wise Foods to evolve from a small back-room operation into a dominant snack empire across the East Coast.
A Museum-Quality Tribute
This vintage neon sign serves as a massive physical tribute to that history, featuring the brand’s iconic owl logo. Standing nearly six feet tall and weighing 100 pounds, the sign is housed in a heavy metal "can" depth of 5 inches. While it retains its original, unrestored masonite fiberboard faceplate to preserve its authentic character, the internal components have been modernized. All neon glass, wiring, and transformers have been fully replaced to ensure the yellow, white, and electric blue lights shine with contemporary reliability.
Investment-Grade Craftsmanship
Designed for serious collectors, the sign balances historical patina with high-end functionality. It features a specialized "Fast Hanger Bar" for level mounting and a convenient toggle pull cord for ease of use. Because of its exceptional condition and restoration quality, it is eligible for the H.J. Nick Brass Tag Signature, certifying it as a museum-quality, investment-grade piece of American advertising history.
Vintage Shell Neon Sign Specifications
- Name: Vintage Wise Potato Chips Neon Sign Featuring Owl Logo
- Type: Single-sided, genuine vintage advertising sign
- Dimensions: 37 inches wide x 69 inches tall Depth: 5 inches (heavy metal can)
- Weight: 100 lbs
- Neon Colors: Yellow (graphic details), White (lettering), Electric Blue accents
- Condition: Original genuine masonite fiberboard, unrestored faceplate (as-pictured)
- All neon glass, solid-state transformers, wiring, mounts, and switches have been fully replaced
- Comes with H.J. Nick’s “Fast Hanger Bar” for perfectly level display
- Includes separate toggle pull cord for easy on/off switching without unplugging
- Certification: Eligible for H.J. Nick Brass Tag Signature – museum quality investment grade
ArtFactory.com's H.J. Nick Brass Tag Certification Details
The H.J. Nick Brass Tag Certification ensures each piece to be the genuine article. Backed by our over a century of experience, with our word is our bond reputation and guaranteeing or your money back “forever". The H.J. Nick Brass Tag Certification makes this item one of the highest appreciating, collectible investments that you can make. These items can be insured at stated value, usually on your home owners policy, for little added premium. Thus, making this a safer investment than even those insured by the FDIC, is much more fun to own, and puts you in control instead of the bank.
Preservation Done Right: ArtFactory.com
Fast forward to today. These iconic vintage neon signs are rare, and many have dimmed or disappeared altogether.
Enter ArtFactory.com, a world-class restoration studio known for museum-quality craftsmanship. When we take on a project like the Wise neon sign, it’s not just a touch-up — it’s a historical resurrection.
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Authentic restoration techniques
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True-to-era neon gas and phosphor paints
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Original mounting brackets preserved
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Wired for safe, modern display without compromising heritage
This is more than nostalgia — it’s heirloom advertising brought back to life.
Final Take: More Than a Sign
Final Take: More Than a SignThis isn’t just a cool collectible. It’s a time capsule — a living piece of history that celebrates a grocer’s dream, the evolution of snack culture, and the golden age of American roadside advertising.
In a digital world full of fleeting ads, this neon sign reminds us:
The best branding doesn’t fade. It glows.
More Vintage Collectible Neon Lighted Signs For Sale From ArtFactory.com
🧠 Fun Fact: Did you know neon gas naturally glows red-orange?
The electric blue and yellow hues in this sign are achieved using argon, mercury vapor, and phosphor coatings —classic neon alchemy.
All Vintage Memorabilia Offered Is A Genuine Collectable And Appreciable Asset
All Items Are Of Highest Museum Quality World Class Collector Level
Investment Quality Collectible Petroliana From ArtFactory.com
This rare vintage Wise Potato Chips Owl neon sign is the perfect conversation piece that will wow your friends and clients alike. Like all of our vintage collectible signs, it is guaranteed authentic, investment quality memorabilia. We specialize in those hard to find signs that serious collectors are looking for. All antique collectables offered are genuine memorabilia and appreciable assets, not fake reproductions. All items are fine collectable art at the highest world class collector level. Contact us today for pricing on this collectible vintage Shell neon sign or any of our collectible Americana, antique signs, old gas pumps, and classic collectibles at 1-800-292-0008.
✨ Visit H.J. Nick’s Art Factory Galleries ✨
7407 E Greenway Rd, Scottsdale Airpark, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
🕒 Gallery Hours
Monday – Friday | 8 AM – 4 PM MST
Walk-ins Welcome | Private Viewings by Appointment
📅 Appointments & Inquiries
📞 Call: 1-800-292-0008 – Ask for Karla
🌐 Website: www.artfactory.com
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