This image depicts a vintage Purim noisemaker, also known as a "grogger," from the 1950s. It is made of tin and wood, and it features an image of Mordecai and Queen Esther. The noisemaker was created by the U.S. Metal Toy Mfg Co.
The grogger is used during the Jewish holiday of Purim to make noise when the name of Haman, the villain of the Purim story, is read aloud during the recitation of the Megillah (Book of Esther). The purpose of this noise is to blot out Haman's name, symbolizing the wiping out of evil.
The text on the grogger is in Hebrew and translates to "In the days of Ahasuerus, Esther, Mordecai, for the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor". This refers to the events in the Book of Esther, where the Jews were saved from Haman's plot to destroy them.
The grogger is a traditional and symbolic item used during the Purim celebration.