Chinese Seamstress's Tool

A slim rod with a small curved blade at one end and a looped tail at the other.

This iron seamstress's tool is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. Hebei Province lies in northern China around Beijing, a region with a long history of metalworking, farming and village craft production. Thin, straight shank in dark brown, ending in a small, shallow, shovel-like blade that curves up on one side. The opposite end is bent into a tidy open ring. The surface is plain, with light rust-colored patina. It is 8 inches wide.

Minimalist in form, and never needed anything more.