Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a person or thing that appears ridiculous or pitiable.

1824		J.G. Lockhart Reginald Dalton III 119: What, roars Macdonald – You puir shaughlin’ in-kneed bit scray of a thing! Would ony Christian body even yon bit object to a bonny sonsie weel-faured young woman like Miss Catline? [F&H].
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor II 479/1: She had that heavy sickness they call the cholera about five years ago, and it fell in her side and in the side of her head too – that made her deaf. Oh! she’s a poor object.
1899		R. Whiteing No. 5 John Street 93: You’re a pretty objeck to talk about grammar to your fellow-working-man.
1935		Lancs. Eve. Post 19 Mar. 8/6: My wife paid [the charwoman] and kept her out of the way of the master’s sight as she was such an untidy old object.
1954		Wodehouse Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit 99: Bertie, you revolting object.