Mahl stick

A stick or thin pole about three feet in length, made of bamboo or a dowel, with a ball shaped pad at one end, it is useful in oil painting for avoiding the touching of the surface. It is used by resting the ball end on the edge of the canvas or easel or a dry place on the canvas, holding the other end up with the non-painting hand, and then supporting the brush on the stick while painting. Source: About.com. Painting, http://painting.about.com/od/artglossarym/g/defmahlstick.htm (For illustration see Photo of Winston Churchill with Mahl Stick in his AskART record)