Chinese Seamstress's Tool

Photographed standing on end, like a very thin sentinel with a teardrop foot.

This iron seamstress's tool is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. Iron is strong and takes a fine edge or point, and blacksmiths in northern China shaped it by heating and hammering into small, practical implements. Seen upright, a long, flat, narrow strip ends at the top in a small, curved, sickle-like blade. At the bottom, the strip is bent into a pear-shaped loop. The surface is a deep red-brown with a light sheen. It is 9.25 inches wide.

Stands tall, stays slim, and keeps its shape.