A thing of beauty on its own ... clean and enhance the wood.... build a perspex bridge just wide enough to take the pixie clock at the rear infront of the open lid.... best of both worlds without interfering with the Testing set

While those are often seen with bakelite like this is, I've never seen one made with a wooden box. I'd bet if you open it up, there will be a few manufacturers marks inside. I've found a few things made like this that will have a sign off tag. The craftsmen as each stage mark their initials and someone else initialises the final approval for that person.

To think carpenters, actual trained carpenters made this box. It did not have to be so well made but the choice was to do it right. Each level was a person who was highly skilled and took their time. We lost a lot with mass manufacturing. It's really a beautiful piece. You could, if you wanted, use this as a switch for a lamp. 12vdc would not harm anyone (since input/output will be on the posts on the left). You could have a particular combo that would essentially pass through the electricity to power the lamp.

@downbeatdan

Such a tool may still have use.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search?edan_fq[]=name:%22Thompson-Levering%20Co.%22

Fabulously beautiful

https://youtu.be/DQ9kt5wLWQ0?si=gmRSPuiAC0X1UKNv