Behold I show you a mystery....

There seems to be a lot of de-cluttering going on all around me. And it is amazing how stuff accumulates over the years.

But this object has survived all attempts at clearing out. It has been around here as long as I can remember. It stands just over four inches (11 cms) tall. It is made of brass. There is no perforation on the lid, which screws off very snugly and with many turns. The pipe thing is not removable, but is hollow. Inside, the cylinder is packed with cotton wadding.

Thing is - neither I nor anyone else has the slightest clue what it is!

Any suggestions, guesses, wild fantasies?