Late 19th C. Very Rare Engraved Clay 21 Pocket Billiards Ball smoking sign or ruffled clown collar

or ruffled clown collar

clearly carved by the same maker

I have not found another wooden shoe form out there with hooks and laces quite like this one

The interior bottom is lined with black velvet

which I don't think detract a bit

Late 19th C. Very Rare Engraved Clay 21 Pocket Billiards Ball smoking sign or ruffled clown collarThis, it turns out, is is a super rare onethe 21st ball in a c. 1880s set of baseball pocket billiards, which is the only sort of billiards set that contains 21 balls. (Typically billiards and pocket billiards sets contain 15 marked balls plus a shooter.) I believe this ball was designed and produced by George H. Burt of Millburn, NJ. I have found documentation of a few standard sets out there made of clay and engraved in just this manner (with