Featured Anyone know what the purpose of this piece is?

Many years ago I was helping an Aunt clean out her house and saw this piece she wanted gone. I thought it was very interesting and brought it home thinking that it could provide a lot of storage space. Maybe tools, plans, manuals, books…something. It’s been about 50 years and I still haven’t figured out what that “something” is.
It looks like it is meant to sit on a desk or table. The vertical drawers tilt out and have a wood plate that slides up and down in a groove on the back of the drawer front. The horizontal drawers pull out. The interior is separated into sections by vertical wood panels that slide front to back, like an old library card holder. I thought that might be its purpose but I haven’t found anything that explains the vertical drawers.

 

Document Filing Cabinet
https://www.officemuseum.com/filing_equipment_cabinets.htm

 

The japanning on the hardware is quite a nice touch.

 

Roaring20's has it but that would look fantastic restored, tiger oak... nice
It's been quarter swan, very costly to do, would have cost a lot when new.

 

Some Victor and Edison phonograph used the type of metal finish, they called it "oxidized bronze".

 

The style of hardware is used by Tucker File & Cabinet Co. ...
https://www.google.com/search?q=Tuc...AEA-AEBmAIAoAIAmAMAiAYBkgcAoAfCAw&sclient=img

 

"Woodruff File" - https://dictionary.archivists.org/entry/woodruff-file.html#:~:text=It is a triangular shaped,as an electrical connection is

 

Beautiful piece-old filing cabinets can be fairly valuable & are still a hot commodity in the antique market.
You might try looking for patent/manufacturer marks & or traces of labeling.