This unusual metal tool is an old-fashioned needle threader, once commonly kept in sewing boxes.
The thin wire loop was pushed through the tiny eye of a sewing needle. The thread was then placed through the larger wire loop, and the tool was pulled back through the needle’s eye, carrying the thread with it.
This made threading a needle much faster and easier, especially for anyone with poor eyesight, shaky hands, or difficulty handling fine thread.
Many vintage versions featured decorative metal handles with portraits, floral patterns, or advertising designs. Although modern needle threaders are often made from inexpensive stamped metal or plastic, they perform the same simple task.
The answer: It is a needle threader used to pull thread through the eye of a needle.
