WTH is This?

WTH is This?

My wife came back from a thrift store with an antique (says "1916" on the bottom!)

What the hell is it?






Any clues?

UPDATE: The container is about 8" tall, the wood-ball-on-iron-stick assembly is about 12" in overall length.

UPDATE II: OK, we've concluded that it's a fire starter. That would explain why there are ashes in the container. My guess is that the original pumice-stone or unglazed ceramic ball was replaced at some point with a wooden one.

Thanks!