Friday Favorite Flea Finds: September 5, 2025
A mid-century California Pottery serving set brings a pop of turquoise flair to the Tiki bar in this week’s Friday Favorite Flea Finds.
This is a new Friday feature that we hope you'll enjoy. As the editor of Kovels Antique Trader magazine, I see my share of antiques and collectibles every day. However, as a hoarder…I mean, collector of various tchotchkes and breakables, my house is full of fun flea market finds and thrifted goodies. So I, along with some of my colleagues, will be sharing a few of our favorites, and we'd love to see your treasures, along with their backstory.
Sometimes the best treasures pop up where you least expect them. I found this turquoise-and-white divided serving set at an estate sale. The sale had been well picked over...there was barely a stick of furniture or doily leftover. Wandering through the house, I didn't expect to see anything worth picking up, that is, until I got to the back bedroom and saw a flash of turquoise peeking out from under the bed's dust ruffle. I got on my knees, moved a stack of puzzles out of the way, and pulled a beautiful mid-century turquoise and white lazy susan set out from under the bed.
Had someone hidden it to retrieve at a later time? I don't know for sure, but in the world of estate sale shopping, you snooze, you lose. What I do know, however, is that it was Sunday, and it was 75% off the original price. I scored this beauty for $5.00!
It now sits on my Tiki bar, ready for an evening of 1944 Mai Tais and salty snacks. Its fabulous mid-century shape and colors are completely at home with the rest of the space. Based on the “Calif. USA," with no mold number, I'm sure the set comes from a mid-20th-century California pottery. Still, so many from that period didn't mark their items beyond the "Calif" and USA" markings that it's impossible to know which one (unless I happen upon a catalogue at some point). Based on the shape of the set and the color, it is reasonable to assume that it was manufactured in the 1950s or 1960s.
Now I want to hear from you! What’s your favorite flea, thrift, or estate sale find? Share it with us, and it just might be featured in an upcoming Friday Favorite Flea Finds. Email me at ATNews@aimmedia.com.
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