Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Early in The Ambassadors, Strether tells Maria Gostrey that the Newsome family has made its entire fortune by manufacturing a tiny, everyday object that's too dumb to even mention. But when Maria asks if it's something filthy or unmentionable, he replies, "Unmentionable? Oh no, we constantly talk of it; we are quite familiar and brazen about it. Only, as a small, trivial, rather ridiculous objects of the commonest domestic use, it's just wanting in—what shall I say? Well, dignity" (2.1.67).
Um, okay. So what we know is that this object isn't morally dirty (like a contraceptive device), but that it's an everyday thing that's silly enough to not even mention out loud (thimbles? TP? A chamber pot?).
What's extra interesting about this object is that it symbolizes the hypocrisy of the Newsome family, especially Sarah Pocock and Mrs. Newsome. These people try to act all high and mighty because they're a wealthy New England family. But all of their wealth and status is based on some stupid little object that's too embarrassing to even talk about, which makes them total phonies.
If any of you smart Shmoopers figure out what it is, give us a ring. (Ring? No, too respectable.)