Handmade Hand Puppet with Painted Wood Face clubhouse drawing I'd love to see it

I'd love to see it filled with white lilies but think it would also be great as a planter for something green

which I don't think detracts at all

it is protected by a wonderfully worn leather cover

is wonderfully worn with a fantastic reddish-brown patina and a great straight handle

The girl is 5" tall and the boy is 4 3/4"

Handmade Hand Puppet with Painted Wood Face clubhouse drawing I'd love to see itI don't know anything about the history of this old hand puppet, which I found at an antique shop in Maine and just could not leave behind such humanity in this deeply carved and painted wooden face, with chunky screwed on nose and big drippy red mouth! And then this curly wool hair or maybe meant to be a cap, as there is another layer of brown hair peeking out at the back of his neck. He's had a life for sure, with holes now in his grey knitted wool