In the early 20th century, St. Louis, Missouri, was an up-and-coming city in the automotive industry. Over the course of history, no fewer than 114 makes were built there. Chief among the St. Louis automakers was the temporal empire built by Joseph W. Moon.

Although noted for such brief ventures as Diana, Windsor, and a role in the ill-fated Ruxton adventure, it was the Moon nameplate that endured for nearly a quarter century. The first Moon car was designed by Louis P. Mooers, a talented engineer formerly with Peerless. “The Ideal American Car” was Moon’s motto, and production increased rapidly from its 1905 introduction. From 1916, all Moons had six cylinders and, from 1919, a Rolls-Royce-inspired radiator. A pioneering feature was four-wheel hydraulic braking, introduced in 1924. The last Moons were built in 1929, but the factory continued into 1930, building the radical front-drive Ruxton.

The charming Model 6-45 “Clover Leaf” roadster offered here features an attractive and desirable three-passenger body style, nicknamed for its appearance when viewed from overhead; the only way to access the rear seat is through the gap between the two front seats. One of very few examples of this six-cylinder model remaining, it was acquired by the current owner because of its dramatic appearance and Missouri heritage. It was restored over a seven-month period by 4 Generations, a central Pennsylvania restoration shop, in this wonderful cream color scheme with hickory wheels, each of which has 265 individual parts; the wheels alone took a month to restore. Upon completion, the car became one of very few Moons displayed at the renowned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

An ideal example of a long-lived Nickel Era independent of great quality, this is among the sportiest and finest-finished extant Moons.