Handful of Antique Clay Marbles in Old Fabric Pouch Longfellow poems and bands of pattern around

and bands of pattern around neck and base

with its eyebrows

this fabulous bright red-orange and black hand-painted ceramic flower frog could perfectly well be used to hold a few flowers in place

which are jointed at the  shoulders and elbows

Handful of Antique Clay Marbles in Old Fabric Pouch Longfellow poems and bands of pattern aroundWell, I've mostly passed old marbles by, not knowing enough to know what is what. However, I happened to give these old clay ones (plus one large one made of wood) a close look at a recent flea market, and I must say they completely captivated me with their beauty; I am converted! I believe these date to the mid to late 19th century, and I believe several of them, with shiny salt glazes, are "Benningtons", which were made in Germany. (They are