Neon Light

The neon light is a colorful and fun type of lighting, often seen in bars, around pool tables, and in store windows. However, as the popularity of the neon light has grown over the past several years, we now see many people using them in bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and family rooms to add whimsy and fun. While most neon light designs are highly creative, other designs are sophisticated and charming.

The neon light actually started as far back as 1675.  At that time, Jean Picard, a French astronomer, noticed a mercury barometer tube had a slight glow to it. He then found that when the tube was shaken, light occurred. The cause of this light was from static electricity although at that time, Jean Picard did not fully understand it. Even so, he was intrigued and continued to work with it as he tried to figure it out.

When certain electricity principles were discovered, a number of different lighting types were invented. Then in 1855, Heinrich Geissler who was a German glassblower made the Geissler tube. This particular tube had gas added at very low pressures and then electrical voltage was applied. With this, a wonderful glow was created. Over the years, the electrical generator was invented and electric power was then applied to the tubes of gas.

The earlier lighting device consisted of a unique, transparent container in which gas was energized with the voltage. Again, the result was a magnificent glow. However, the first electrical discharge to a sealed tube of neon glass was applied by Georges Claude, a French engineer. With this, the neon light was officially invented. With the creation of Claude’s French company called Claude Neon, signs using neon gas started being sold all throughout Europe and the United States.

In fact, one neon light was purchased for $24,000 by Packard, a Los Angeles based car dealership. Word spread like wildfire as more and more people wanted to know more about this “neon light.” The fascinating thing was that while the neon light illuminated brightly and with vivid color at night, it could also be seen clearly during the day. People were so interested in the neon light that they nicknamed it “liquid fire.”

The process of making a neon light is somewhat complex and it must be made by someone who knows the art. For starters, a hollow glass tube is used, which comes in four, five, and eight-foot lengths. Then, the tubes must be shaped, that glass is heated by lit gas and forced air, and temperatures ranging from 1600 to more than 2200 degrees is used, depending on the type of glass being worked for the neon light.

Neon light gas produced is red. However, people who make the neon light can actually create wonderful masterpieces using more than 150 colors. Each of these colors, with the exception of the red, is made using mercury phosphor and argon. If you were interested in a neon light, you could choose a design with simple lettering or choose something extraordinary!