Old-Fashioned Home Security System
Without any context, we thought that this metal object was a toilet paper holder, though it appears to be too wide for that. Plus, judging by the hardwood floors, we’re guessing that this picture wasn’t taken in a bathroom. Maybe it can hold paper towels or something?
Nope. When the OP revealed that this thing was located near a door in a house built in the 1970s, people immediately identified it as an old-fashioned home security system. Basically, it would stop doors from opening from the outside, leaving the homeowner safe and secure until the home intruder decided to break in through a window.