Evan Voyles Unveils Neon Sign Collection Alongside Ray Benson’s Music Memorabilia in First-Ever Auction

For decades, Evan Voyles has been the keeper of Austin’s glow by creating and collecting the neon signs that define the city’s visual identity. Now the man behind the Neon Jungle is opening his personal vault for the very first time. On May 2, a curated selection from his celebrated trove of Austin signage will go up for auction at Burley Auction Gallery in New Braunfels, alongside pieces from co-host Ray Benson’s personal collection. Together, they’re offering bidders something rarely available: a tangible slice of Texas and Austin history.

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“BBQ Steer,” Corsicana, Texas from the 1950–’60s. (Photo Courtesy of Burley Auction Gallery)

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“Squat’n’ Gobble,” a set piece for a film called “A Perfect World,” shot around Austin and featuring Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner. (Photo Courtesy of Burley Auction Gallery)

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The giant “Fender Telecaster” was one of two around 2012, for a series on PBS that featured local Austin crafts. (Photo Courtesy of Burley Auction Gallery)

Voyles has never auctioned anything before. The decision, he says, is partly practical — he needs the space — but it’s tied to something bigger. His holdings span signs from the 1920s to the 1960s and beyond, each one a relic of Austin’s commercial and cultural past, with the hopes of a visual museum opening in the future. A highly regarded sign builder and neon artist, Voyles has created signs for many local businesses, like the one shining over Lucy’s Fried Chicken, with work stretching from Austin to both coasts.

“There’s no duplicate or consignment material,” Voyles says. “This is the first time I’ve ever put anything up for auction.”

Benson brings his own remarkable history to the sale. The Grammy-winning artist and Asleep at the Wheel frontman is offering more than 50 years’ worth of music memorabilia — guitars, posters, autographs and personal items from a career spanning half a century. Benson will be on hand for a meet-and-greet from noon to 1 p.m. before the auction kicks off.

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Willie Nelson flyer to be auctioned off. (Photo Courtesy of Burley Auction Gallery)

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“Antiques” Appaloosa. (Photo Courtesy of Burley Auction Gallery)

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A replica of the one Voyles made in the late ’90s. (Photo Courtesy of Burley Auction Gallery)

For Voyles, the event is as much a statement as it is a sale, and a way to surface a collection he’s largely kept private while making the case for preserving Austin’s visual identity as the city rapidly evolves.

“Austin has always been about people coming here and building their dream,” Voyles says. “This is mine.”

The auction — officially titled “The Ray Benson Collection & The Evan Voyles Neon Jungle Sign Collection Auction” — is open for preview Friday, May 1 from noon to 6 p.m., and Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to noon, with the live auction beginning at noon. Online bidding is also available.

For collectors, this event is rare window. For Voyles, it’s the first chapter of making space for something larger.

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