Both the tube and base are fairly thick gauge heavy duty copper and soldiered together. I can't bend one of those ears by hand without some pliers. A guide for a cable? wire?
My interpretation isnโt ramrod, the flare on each end, to me, says something was meant to pass through in both directions, fishing line was a good thought If it really is too heavy for that maybe rope or something was meant to pass through it, or if it attached to something that slid back and forth on a rope