Found this at a yard sale but l have no idea what it is.
Every so often, a simple yard sale find turns into an unexpected mystery—and that’s exactly what happened when someone stumbled upon a tiny metal scoop-like tool and shared it online, asking for help identifying it. The item, small enough to fit comfortably on a fingertip, immediately drew hundreds of opinions from curious onlookers and collectors who recognized it—or thought they did.
From the start, the guesses poured in, with a surprising variety of explanations ranging from the practical to the humorous.
Brad Fryar confidently claimed it was a “very small coke spoon,” a sentiment quickly echoed by Kelly Howell, who added, “Coke spoon. It was a common accessory in the 70s.” Anthony Strickland had a similar thought, describing it as a “bump rod.”
But others saw something much more innocent. Megan Brown suggested it was an “ear wax scoop,” while Fred Gogel elaborated: “Ear wax cleaner that also would make a great dab tool.” Sarah Rowan and Dawn Robinson agreed, both calling it an ear wax cleaner, while Robert Davis added that it “can be used to scoop out tobacco from your pipe.”
Still, not everyone was convinced. Nat Malka Cohen thought it might be a “spoon for serving salt from a salt dish,” a refined alternative to the less delicate suggestions. Kelly Bathe, however, disagreed: “Salt spoons for salt cellars are bigger than that. It’s a snuff spoon.”
Several others supported the snuff theory. Patti Bob Allen Hubeny guessed it could be a “snuff spoon,” while Susan Mayne O’Keefe confidently explained, “It’s a snuff spoon. They scooped up the snuff and up the nose it went!” Lynn Lagerstrom also leaned toward that explanation, though she noted that “it could be an old salt spoon” since such utensils were common when salt was served in small tabletop boxes rather than shakers.
Meanwhile, a few people thought the object might belong in a nutcracker set. Debra Janning Matovic and Ken Hill both said it was “for walnuts,” with Hill adding that “it should have come with a nutcracker.” Shelley Cauley agreed, saying, “It may be to dig nuts out of a shell once you crack it, like Brazil Nuts—you know how they stick to the shell?” L. Trace Cooper echoed this, stating simply, “It goes with a nutcracker set.”
Not everyone was serious about their guesses, though. Katie Purkiss joked that it was a “back scratcher for elves and pixies,” while Paul Strate found humor in its size, calling it a “comically small spoon.” Lexi Lanham teased the original poster, saying, “LMAO you know EXACTLY what that is,” while Tinsley Tollece noted, perhaps wearily, that “this picture has been posted several times before.”
Among the many theories, one comment stood out for offering a definitive historical explanation. Ermene Ford shared that, according to multiple sources—including Google, eBay, and Etsy—the item is “a Victorian Ear Spoon.” In the 19th century, such tools were indeed used for personal hygiene, often made from silver or brass and designed to gently remove wax from the ear. These spoons were sometimes attached to chatelaines (decorative belt chains worn by Victorian women) or kept in grooming kits.
Given the wide range of opinions—from drug paraphernalia to dinner table utensils, grooming tools, and even fairy back-scratchers—it’s clear that this tiny scoop has captured the imagination of everyone who’s seen it. Whether it’s truly a relic of Victorian hygiene or something more mischievous from the disco era, one thing is certain: it’s a fascinating reminder of how even the smallest objects can spark the biggest debates.
In the end, the mystery of the miniature spoon remains part of its charm—a small artifact connecting the curiosity of today’s collectors with the everyday lives of people from centuries past.
