"Common" would indicate clay. Various American companies made clays. I don't know if I've seen a list compiled. Maybe someone else can help with that ... or maybe I can do a little digging and get or make one. So ... who in 1898 would have been making clays ... the question for the day.
As to the German glass ones, there some are some known company names but it was a cottage industry also, so lots and lots of unincorporated people could be responsible for the latticinios and onionskins we love.
Here ya go ... I remembered the name Sam Dyke ... in 1898 it could have been one of his companies making the common clays. In particular, it could have been The American Marble & Toy Manufacturing Company of Akron, Ohio. http://www.americantoymarbles.com/akronhist.htm