What is this??????? Confused in Virginia

My husband and I recently purchased a historic home in Virginia. The original house was built around 1867 with a full remodel in 1922. A few weeks ago our electrician was in the attic and I asked him if there was anything "cool" up there. He brought down several treasures including a fabulous seat for a claw-foot tub, a brass acorn finial, and this ... tool. I posted it on Facebook and several seem to think it was some kind of tool for combing yarn while another friend thought it was an ice scorer/scraper. I have no idea, but I do know there was an ice house on the original property.
The tool stands about 24 inches long and although the handle is whittled at the top I suspect it was machined originally as something else and re-purposed for whatever it now is. (Or was) The comb part looks to be forged iron. The teeth are still very sharp.