Featured Pair of Italian? Pottery WHATZITS: Pan Top, Figural Handles holding Books

I have a pair of these things. I could swear I had found them somewhere online within the past few weeks, but now I can't recall where or what. Forgive me if it was here, but I can find no sign that I posted these here before, so...
These were described to me as Italian, old, but that's about all I have. I would not call them "vessels", as they have only shallow pans in the top - and those with portraits decorating the interior.
Each has a pair of handles, human figures, each holding a book. They are about 6" wide & a bit under 5" tall.
My best guess is salt & pepper dips; your comments are welcome!

 

They are lovely, LoveT.
I think this is one for @Walter Del Pellegrino .

 

Do they open?

I wonder whether they originally went together, since the decoration doesn't match. But maybe that was a style that was intentional? Anyway, very interesting.

 

These are known as “Open Salts” or salt bowls. They were made to sit on a dining table where guests could reach for a pinch of the seasoning if they needed to. These are made in a style that suggests that they were produced in or near the town of Caltagirone on the island of Sicily. As for age it is difficult to determine, especially using only photos to study them. In part this is due to the fact that the pottery making techniques are often unchanged over time but I would guess late 19th, early 20th century.​

 

Thanx, Walter Del Pellegrino, for giving the "Best Answer"!
Would it be proper to use the term "majolica" or "maiolica" for these?

 

Your salts are faience, not majolica or maiolica. is the term used describe the process of decorating.
Majolica and faience are not interchangeable terms as is commonly believed. Majolica is first fired as unglazed refined clay at 750 degrees. When it has cooled (it is known as bisque at this point) it is dipped into a bath of fast drying liquid glaze. The glaze will be either “Primo Bianco” (White Primer) or “Smalto” (enamel). The chemicals that make up of these glazes vary from studio to studio and are closely guarded secrets. The artist can then begin creating a masterpiece of decoration using glazes that will adhere to the primer glaze. A second firing is required at 750 degrees for about 12 hours with another 12 hours required to allow the oven to cool off slowly. If the artist is creating lusterware majolica then a third firing would be required.
Faience, or glazed earthenware, is a pottery term for a different technique. It is a clay coated and decorated with an enamel tin oxide glaze and fired once in the kiln at a temperature range between 800-1000 degrees Celsius.

 

Thanx, Walter. I was aware that these terms are commonly - but wrongly - used interchangeably, but I don't know enough to tell which is what... Thanx for the clarification! God Bless.