Mermaids: a Fun Theme that is Collectible

Among the things I look for when I am thrifting, yard sailing or browsing online sales for things to flip, is mermaids. Popular collectible, mermaids come in all sort of shape and forms. I look for whimsical items or unusual enough to pique curiosity. Mainly vintage or antique (although you may have success with modern decor pieces as long as it is original/unusual enough and not mass produced in China).

Here are a few of my finds that have sold:

Vintage tin box with mermaids

Mermaid hand held mirror

Signed cast iron trivet by Deville

These were all bought online to flip and they were all successful flips.

Antique French Chocolate Mold

Sold this old antique French chocolate mold pan with 8 different fish design. It's a G. Mora Paris mold #1505.

The mold has 8 different 2 inches long fishes, below you can see the front and back of this vintage French chocolate mold. Condition was not perfect, it had a few tiny rust spot. But so unique that it sold very fast.

Chocolate molds are highly collectible, keep that in mind!

I paid $25 on a French auction site and sold for $89 to a US buyer.

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Vintage Golden State Dairy Can

Vintage tin can of Golden State powdered milk. Golden State Dairy Product is from San Francisco California. Circa late 40s early 50s. Sold for $30.95 in spring 2009. Part of a lot I bought (details here).

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Vintage Stork Powdered Milk Can

Vintage tin can of Stork powdered milk from the Osceola milk producers in Cleveland Ohio . Circa late 40s early 50s. Sold for $26.25 in spring 2009. This one had quite a few scratches, and rust inside. Had the original lid. This can was part of a lot I bought in France (more info here)

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Remember my 2 Little Bronze Owls From Previous Yard Sales?

I guess owls are lucky creatures. Remember the 2 owls I found at 2 different yard sales a few weeks back (here and here)? Well both sold yesterday. One sold to a buyer in Malaysia and the other to South Korea. I paid 6 euros total for both (less than $8.50 total) and sold them for $33.20 total.

I bought them because owls are collectibles and they were nice with a lovely patina. It was a safe buy and I am quite happy with the sale, but a little sad to see them go!

I'll sure be looking for more in the future!

Vintage Central's dairy powdered milk tin can

This one was part of a lot I bought back in 2009 (see here). Central's Dairy is located in Fort Wayne Indiana. The can is circa late 40s early 50s. Sold for $20.25. The overall condition was nice, no rusty spot, clean.

These dairy cans from central's dairy were probably meant for the export market since the instruction are in English, French and Spanish.

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Vintage Dean's Dairy Powdered Milk Tin Can

This is one of the can from a lot I bought from a French seller (read here). vintage tin can of Deans powdered milk. From Chicago illinois. Circa late 40s early 50s. Sold for $66.01 in spring 2009.

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Found a lot of 4 Old Powdered Milk Tin Cans

Back in 2009 I bought these on eBay France and sold them on eBay.com. The advantage of shopping on the French eBay is that I have access to sellers who don't ship worldwide and/or don't take Paypal. So I end up getting good deals on items that sells well in the US or elsewhere.

So I bought the 4 cans for 10 euros and with shipping the total cost was around 17 euros for all of them (less than $6 a piece!). I sold them separately for a total of $143.46