Vintage Bear Service Neon Sign – NS1917

Historical Background

The Bear Service neon sign comes from a classic era of American roadside advertising, dating back to the golden age of the automobile. The Bear Manufacturing Company, founded in Rock Island, Illinois in 1917, was one of the pioneers of wheel alignment and balancing equipment. Their name, “Bear Service,” quickly became synonymous with trustworthy automotive care during the mid-20th century.

Shaped like a cheerful bear holding a service placard, these neon signs lit up service stations, garages, and alignment shops across the U.S. from the 1930s through the 1960s. Their bold colors and cartoonish charm not only advertised services but also made businesses instantly recognizable to passing motorists.

This particular sign represents an important piece of American car culture history, when neon signage was both functional and artistic, guiding travelers through highways and small towns alike.

Original neon advertising signs like this are highly collectible because:

• They represent a lost era of handcrafted roadside Americana.
• They feature company mascots and characters that are rare in modern advertising.
• Neon signs from the 1930s–1950s are scarce survivors, as many were scrapped or destroyed when businesses modernized.