It Was Most Popular In The '20s — The Pricey Vase To Find At The Thrift Store

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My top horror movie? Watching people "upcycle" old thrift finds online, spray-painting all of the character out of a beautifully hand-wrought object. And in some cases, these DIYers are painting away an item's value. So if you spot a Niloak Mission Swirl vase at the thrift store and feel the millennial urge to paint it white, just keep on walking.

Jokes aside, these unique swirled vases date back more than 100 years, and there is nothing else quite like them. Niloak was a popular brand of American art pottery, made by the Eagle Pottery Company in Benton, Arkansas, from 1909 to 1946. Though it produced several lines, the brand is best known for its Mission Swirl design, which peaked in popularity in the 1920s before purse strings tightened in the Great Depression.

Its signature swirled design is made by mixing different colors of Arkansas clay. (In fact, Niloak is "kaolin" clay spelled backward.) The vases are glazed on the inside, so they can hold water or beverages, though the outside is left unglazed for a matte finish. Today, Mission Swirl vases can turn out to be quite valuable, selling for $75 to $1,000 or more on sites like eBay, so finding one at the thrift store is like striking gold.

Niloak Mission Swirl pieces are among the colorful and valuable flower vases you should look for at thrift stores. They were crafted in an array of figurations, from short, squat crocs to taller, thinner vases. Some were more hourglass-shaped while still others were cylindrical. Most didn't have a handle, though there were some handled pitchers crafted, and these tend to go for a pretty penny.

To confirm you've found the real deal, look for the signature dark brown, brick, blue, and sand hues, swirled together horizontally. Note the glazed interior and unglazed, matte exterior, as well as a die-stamped signature on the bottom bearing the Niloak brand name.

To style this vase in your home, insert dried flowers for a timeless look, or fresh flowers to swap with the seasons. Use it as a water vase on a bedside table, or full of greenery for a stunning entry accent. And whatever you do, do not paint or glaze this majestic swirled creation.