Sewing Egg/Darning Egg or Flea Trap?

This cool little carved egg is beautifully designed and unscrews in the middle. It is perforated with numerous small holes which are part of the design work. There are two possibilities as to what it was used for, and perhaps both are correct. It can be inserted into the toe of a sock to allow for darning or under your article of clothing to repair a tear. Alternatively, since it is hollow and unscrews, it may have been used by ladies as a flea trap. A little drop of blood mixed with honey or beeswax would be baited in the egg and then hung around the neck under the clothing or placed in the bed. The fleas would be attracted, climb in and become trapped in the sticky honey or wax.

Regardless this is a beautifully designed little item that was carved from a coquilla nut . . . an example of the beautiful work done for something that was a simple work-a-day item during Victorian times.

If you want to learn more, here is a great article on coqilla nuts:
https://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/the-coquilla-nut-a-handy-19th-century-ornamental-material/