This is a dovetailed grease pot used to store bee's wax in. I saw it on The Woodwrights Shop and had to make one myself. The top lid is cut to an angle that holds the lower lid shut, which is kept in place by the dovetail inlay. When you swing the top lid to the side you can push the lower lid back and swing it to the side revealing the storage compartment.
I finally remember where I saw this box before as a trick opening matchbox in
ReplyDelete"Puzzles Old And New by Professor Hoffmann 1893 edition"
here are a couple links to pictures explaining the box
https://www.archive.org/stream/puzzlesoldnew00hoff?ref=ol#page/36/mode/2up
https://www.archive.org/stream/puzzlesoldnew00hoff?ref=ol#page/62/mode/2up