Archaeologists from University of Michigan found an item like this at the Marsh site in East Bloomfield, New York dated between 1650 and 1670. They first speculated it was a vessel for sprinkling holy water and the other option was a feeding bottle. In the 17th century they were made of pewter and they evolved into tin in the 18th century. Meanwhile, the name evolved even more. In 1804 it was a sucking bottle made by Jacob Eicholtz at a cost of 1 shilling and 3 pence according to his daybook. In 1838 it was the first item of tin made by John Burkhart when he started his apprenticeship for George Kersher in Friedensburg Oley Township, PA. He called it a “mam” as it served as a foster mother. Mam may have been a Pennsylvania centric name and it was also called a nursing can. Mammaly is a seldom used version of the name and was spelled mamalee in the book To Cut. Piece. and Solder which is on Pennsylvania tinware. A “nursing can” was a term used at the end of the 19th century, In 2012 one was shown on Antiques Roadshow and called it a tin baby nurser https://share.google/RbvGvbcXDJzZCiXq6

Pewter version

Two originals we have. One straight spout with friction lid and one side spout with hinged lid.

Our reproduction: https://www.hotdiptin.com/product/tin-nurser/