Lacquered item... what is the function?

Recently purchased this lacquer piece that is not an antique but thought that somebody here might know its function.

It looks like a Russian lacquered box, with lots of writing on the sides. At first I thought the writing was pre-Soviet Russian... until I got it home, looked up some words, and realized it was not. Finally have figured out that it's Ukrainian. I was able to do a very rough translation of the verses written on the sides. Basically it is about Cossacks going off to battle and how heartening tobacco is to them. It also include the name of a person at the end. The reference service who identified the language told me that this was the painter and also the author of the verse. It has the number 93 on it, and I think it's 1993, not 1893! Just to be clear about that.

The function of the box is what has me baffled. It did have a Marlboro cigarette jammed inside when I bought it. So right away I thought of a cigarette dispenser. A cigarette would fit well into the little groove in the top. The box itself is shaped like a rural mailbox and it slides up and down the post in the middle (that has the groove on top). There is no other opening to get inside, except for that slot in the top.... and the box itself is hollow.

I did take the Marlboro out when I got it home. I'm tempted to buy a couple of packs of cigarettes and put them in there just to see whether it would somehow dispense them.

Sorry this is so long... but it's just so strange! Now to upload some pictures.

This is how it looks extended. It doesn't stay extended when standing, so put it on its side.



Closed:



One side: Cossack smoking a pipe:





Top, showing the groove and slot.



Sample of the writing. The two sides have different writing:

 

Forgot the dimensions... the base is about 5.5 inches x 7 inches. The middle box is about 3.5 inches tall not counting the base.

 

Well, it might be a thing to make and hold "roll your own" cigarettes. They can be shorter than bought cigarettes. Gotta be something for smoking with that decoration and story.

 

Thanks! It might be... also, perhaps cigarettes are shorter in that part of the world to begin with.

 

Yeah, no filters for the Russians (Ukrainians)!

 

Have you seen something in this form before, Don? I do think that is what it has to be. Loose tobacco wouldn't work.

 

I sold a very low-end plastic one that functioned in a similar way. Check the inlaid wood one being sold on Etsy - scroll down aways.

http://search.comcast.net/?q=+vinta...fe=on&q=+vintage+plastic+cigaret+dispenser/62

 

Thanks -- there were a lot of them on there. None had exactly the same style of mechanism (if I can call it that), but some seemed to work similarly.

 

Thanks -- yes, I like the design up in the corners, too!

 

To me it looks more like for making or rolling cigs rather than storing them, but it is pretty awesome looking.

 

This is more like the one I had. You pulled up the exterior box, a cigarette rolled into the little tray and when you pushed the box down, one cigarette was exposed.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/192343356/vintage-cigarette-dispenser-wood?ref=market

 

You're right, that one is closest to mine. At least the way it works is very similar. One difference is that that one opens up to make it easy to put the cigarettes in. Mine doesn't ... It appears that I would have to extend it all the way out, and then drop them in the slot. Seems that they would more easily be stuck in the wrong position that way. Oh, well... I don't intend to use it, anyway.