Asian Brass Cube w/ Hidden Wooden Cube? Help?

Hey everyone, I'm new here so go easy on me! Posting this on multiple sites, just to expand the chances of someone recognizing.

I bought this odd cube at an antique store, and no one even really knew that there was anything in it. It was so rusted together, they told me it didn't open, and it took a good amount of work to get it to do so. Here's what I've got so far:
I believe the wooden cube has Chinese characters on it, but I don't recognize them (and they're the same character on each side).
I believe it's brass... it has a good amount of weight to it and it's so barely magnetic.
You can see matching pinholes on the insert and main cube within the indent. It looks as though there was a pin that was hammered in (causing that rough indent). I heard something rattling in the insert and managed to get that broken pin tip out.
The insert tray must be held up by a post, and it can be rotated slightly.
It is in total between 334-335g, 35mm wide, 43mm tall, and the insert is 28mm wide.

If anyone has any ideas about what this is, I'll be greatly appreciative. I have no idea what the wooden cube is, and why it would be semi- locked into a cube like this.

Thanks for your time everyone!

 

Can you do pictures with a bit more light, they are really so dark I can't see anything.

I am thinking it might be a Mah-Jongg wind box. Even though these are usually round with a screw top. But it's too dark to see.

 

Sorry about that, didn't realize how dark they got once I shrunk down the file size. Here's a few new ones. And that's interesting, it definitely doesn't resemble a Mah-Jong piece, but I've never heard of a Mah-Jongg wind box.

 

Looks similar to a nested seal set, called 子母印 zi mu yin "mother-child seal" in Chinese. Better pictures may explain more.

 

Your item appears to be either an Asian (Southeast) dice and box, or Chinese seal and box.

Below are two examples (Malay & Chinese):

 

I don't like the weakly magnetic. That usually indicates India. Brass should not be magnetic at all.

 

'Nuff_Said, yeah that looks to be it! Thanks. Still wondering what the point of the dice is though, gonna have to do some researching. Never seen a seal that wasn't a long rectangle (that's what I thought it was before I took it out of the insert).

The seller said he thought it was brass cause it's barely magnetic, but just broke out my heavy duty magnetic and I'm not getting anything. So not sure about that part now.

 

You are most welcome.

This should help in your research... Lien Poh:

https://www.google.com/search?q=lie...EcfOsQTu1oEg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1600&bih=805

 

Hello! I've been looking at a similar object I have and it seems that it was used for a Malay gambling game called Lien Poh. Have you seen this link: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/34071/lien-poh ? Is there a concealed mechanism in the top of your lid? It doesn't look like it, however in the one I have there is some sort of spring/ wind-up mechanism in the lid. Any ideas what this may be for each anyone?

 

If you photograph things with a bright light behind them all you get is a silhouette. Light the side you are photographing.

 

Hi and a very warm WELCOME, Anna!! I understand that because of the similarities, why you posted here, but you should always post in your own thread....you're likely to get more answers more specific to your own item!!! Also, please always post your images FULL SIZE, NOT thumbnail size!!! Hope this brief tutorial helps....we all needed some help in the beginning!!! Good Luck!!!