A needlecase has its origins in the distant past when the first textiles began to appear. Early sewing needles were precious items, so they had to be stored safely and carefully. The first needlecases were made of alternating layers of paper and fabric. Back then, only wealthy people could afford needlecases. Later, such holders began to be made of ivory, wood, and metal. Metal needlecases were produced and sold by workshops. Because of their unique appearance and usefulness, needlecases were often presented to women as gifts. In this case, they sometimes featured the inscription “As a token of love”. Although needlecases were made of a soft copper tin alloy, they were durable. However, they also had significant disadvantages: because of frequent use, their cover cap was not always firmly fixed, the design often faded, and their sharp corners (in this case, the tail and fins) often caught with clothing and threads.

Because of its appearance, such a fish needlecase had a sacred meaning for the northern peoples. At the turn of the 20th century, it began to be used as a sacrificial offering since the well-being of locals depended entirely on the fishing industry. Traditional attributes were brought to Khanty sanctuaries. These included sacrificial rugs, bear festival masks, wooden idols, shamanic drums, as well as the items Khanty bought at fairs from Russians and Komi-Zyryans. Sometimes, it was something completely unexpected, for example, children’s toys such as soldiers, horses, frogs, fish, or even an ordinary glass Christmas ball. Mansi and Khanty reinterpreted such objects as their own deities, adding the necessary attributes, including scarves, capes, ribbons, and copper rings. They also covered such idols in shawls and dresses, using household items in religious rituals.

The needlecase is embossed with images of scales, fins, gills, and eyes. On one side, the gills feature the inscription “token” — apparently, this needlecase was a gift for someone special. The exhibit was donated to the museum by Irina Gorskaya in 2002.