Friday Favorite Flea Finds: December 12, 2025
A mid-century angel with a cheeky grin hanging out in a Las Vegas antique mall turned out to be a lovely pre-Christmas surprise find.
I stumbled upon this vintage Artmark porcelain angel back in October 2021 while wandering through an antique mall in Las Vegas, where I’d gone for (of course) an eBay-related conference. You never quite know what treasures will turn up in Las Vegas, where thrift stores and antique malls are legendary. However, this little blonde angel felt a bit like a mini jackpot win. She stood out in a glass case full of glittering ornaments and glitzy mid-century décor, and to me, it was her expression that stole the show.
Artmark was a Chicago-based import company active from the 1950s through the 1970s, known for distributing decorative ceramics, figurines, and giftware from Japan. Their pieces often capture the whimsical charm of mid-century design, featuring pastel glazes, expressive faces, and a touch of atomic-era flair.
Artmark pieces from the 1950s and 1960s always have a certain personality about them, part kitsch, part charm, and this one was no exception. There’s something about her face that immediately reminded me of my middle child, equal parts sweet and scheming, like she knows a secret she’s not planning to share. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t leave her behind.
Every time I go to Vegas, I end up scoring a find of some sort, although it’s rarely financial. I tend to stay away from the casinos—I’m far luckier in the thrift and antique stores.
Now she graces my Christmas tree every year, and my middle child has already called dibs when the day comes for me to give my Christmas decorations the same downsizing treatment I applied to my recent move. Perhaps she’ll become a family heirloom...
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