If you want to add a touch of whimsy to your garden, head to an antique shop or flea market. One lucky collector bought this hard-to-find mermaid fountain by Kay Finch at a Cincinnati Art Galleries auction.

The ceramic mermaid fountain is big—31 inches tall. There is a cast hole in the base and a drilled hole through the inside of the conch shell for plumbing. Water falls from the shell. It sold for $945.

Kay Finch ceramics were made in Corona Del Mar, California, from 1953 to 1963. Her hand-decorated pieces often pictured whimsical animals and people in pastel colors.

Find prices of more Kay Finch ceramics here and in Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2011.