Found in a box of old sewing stuff at a garage sale. It looks like small metal tongs with padded discs at the end and a loop for a chain. What on earth is this thing used for?

At a recent garage sale, amidst piles of vintage fabrics and jars of mismatched buttons, you might stumble across a curious little contraption nestled within a dusty sewing box. It’s an intriguing find: small metal tongs with padded discs at their ends and a peculiar loop for a chain. This cryptic object, at first glance, seems like an odd tool pulled from the pages of a Victorian novel, leaving you puzzled about its true purpose.
While it might not be immediately recognizable, this mysterious item is actually a clever piece