Georgiansilver has it right. It's just a "folding wire basket."

You may associate it with about any "usage" you wish, but most of the farm families in my area (all of whom had several) used them mostly for hanging in the back hallway, out in the feed shed, or elsewhere, full of fruits and/or veggies that were less prone to mildew with good air circulation. They were also well-adapted to easy carrying of loose things that needed "gatherin' up" around the homestead, and were used by several people as "egg-gatherin' baskets."

Most of the "utility grade" ones were made with zinc-coated wire, and few of the old ones survive 1.) because once the zinc wears off from use the iron wire rusts and the joints get stiff so they don't work well and 2.) because the idiot grandchildren (no offense, Bill) were always fascinated with them and managed to play with them 'till they broke.

I've seen them full of pears in the upstairs back bedroom¹, eggs in the pantry, and corncobs in the outhouse. Very versatile.

At least one of the local "Ace Hardware" shops in my area has had more modern (usually alumin(i)um wire) ones for sale within the last month or so. They're seen with reasonable frequency here at yard sales and in antique malls.

Slight variations in shape were made for "special purposes" such as boiling canning jars and such; but the picture looks like a prettied up general use one, possibly used in the mid 40s to display the plastic flowers and/or other kitsch that were popular "decorating bits" next to the velvet painting over the mantle (i.e. a slightly later model than the classic ones). I have seen a very few really old "brass wire" ones, but I'd guess the one shown is a late '40s or early '50s one. [Hard to tell just from the picture.]

¹ Pears usually are picked "green" and require extended "chill" to ripen with full flavor, so the unheated upstairs bedroom was where my gramps "cured" the pears. A few "special select" ones might go in the baskets, but most were just spread out on newspapers on the floor. Weekly "turning" and removing any that started to spoil was a regular "kid chore."

Nomenclature: Folding wire basket

Usage: Any d$@#! thing you can think of

John