Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Active Threads This Week

Hi All,

I just found you guys and it seems like this is the right place to come. I just picked this up and I'm trying to figure out if it's real or if it's a reproduction piece as well as the value either way. It's a little over 11 inches long and a little over 4 inches tall. Photos are attached!

Thanks!

Looking for the two trim pieces that go on the referenced pumps doors. The pieces look similar with the exception that the one at the bottom of the door is taller than the one at the top. Both look like the one in the attached picture just below the door's window. Any help location these trim pieces would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Anyone ever seen a 40” Shell sign? I can’t find any others. It has the look of a 25” curbside but 40”

RARE VINTAGE 1962 SAUK TRAIL INN HAND-PAINTED
WOODEN TAVERN SIGN

Tied to Henry Ford’s "Village Industries" Schuyler Mill Complex – Saline, Michigan. Only one in exsistance. $550.00 or Best Reasonable Offer.

Up for sale is an incredible piece of Southeast Michigan roadside history. This large, shield-shaped, hand-painted wooden sign originally hung at the historic **Sauk Trail Inn** in Saline, Michigan, during its incredibly brief commercial run in the mid-1960s.

This is not a reproduction—it is an authentic local survivor recently recovered from decades of barn storage.
The last picture is of the original Schuyler Mill Complex, found on the left side of the road in pic. curtesy of the

### 🔍 THE HISTORICAL RELEVANCE (1962–1966 Window)
This sign represents a transient, highly collectible chapter of a famous Michigan landmark. The building it advertised was originally the **Schuyler Mill** (built 1845), which **Henry Ford** bought and completely restored in 1936 to serve as one of his famous rural soybean processing plants ("Village Industries").

Following Ford's death, the mill complex eventually transitioned into a hospitality venue. In **1962**, it officially opened as the **Sauk Trail Inn** under saloon master Peter Paul Mour, paying homage to the region's deep German heritage.

In **1967**, the complex was purchased by the Weller family and rebranded as "Weller's Country Store" (and later the famous Weller's banquet facility). Because the "Sauk Trail Inn" branding only existed for a tight 4-to-5-year window, artifacts using this name are exceptionally rare.

### 🎨 VISUAL DESIGN & GRAPHICS
* **Top Text:** Features bold, stylized mid-century Vaudeville/Old West script reading "Peter Paul Mour saloon".
* **Left Panel:** Displays a classic hand-painted lidded German beer stein reading "Sauk Trail Inn TAVERN".
* **Right Panel:** Features the traditional "Limpert" family heraldic crest with an ornate stag, flanked by the historical dates 1730 and 1934.
* **Bavarian Elements:** Divided by the iconic blue-and-white checkered diamond pattern of the Bavarian flag.
* **Bottom Banner:** Reads "ICH BIEN FÜR IHR"—a charmingly localized, grammatically skewed German dialect translation typical of mid-century roadside attractions trying to project old-world beer hall hospitality.
Sign Size is 4.5 Feet Tall by a little less than a yard at its widest.

### 📐 CONDITION & DISPLAY APPEAL
The sign boasts incredible, unforced visual patina. The weathering, checking, and minor paint loss tell the story of its age and its years spent retired inside a local barn. It is structurally solid, heavy, and ready to serve as a spectacular statement piece for a Michigan history enthusiast, a Ford automotive collector, or a premium home bar/man cave.

### 📦 SHIPPING & PICKUP DETAILS
Due to the large size and wooden construction of this shield sign,
Local Pickup in the Jackson Mi. area.

*If nationwide shipping is selected, it will be securely boxed and shipped via calculated shipping or oversized carrier to ensure it arrives safely. Please contact me first, as I may be able to give you shipping quote. Please use the shipping calculator for an accurate quote to your zip code.*