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I Just picked up this rather strange display case? This is big and heavy, about 30 inches wide. It looks like the lid has been modified inside at some point. Anyone have a idea what would have been used for? Maybe Cigars? The hand carved symbols are rather odd to me? The front and back are both carved the same as well as the sides. I have never seen anything like this before?

 

Gun display case?

 

The coronet with three feathers is The Prince of Wales' badge. I wonder if it represents the Royal Warrant for a product displayed.

Debora

 

it's beautiful.......
I don't see anything to help keep tobacco fresh...........
the lock seems newer than the case......so gun display could be a thing.....

 

Related, but the carving lacks the "Ich Dien". And who is WHB?

 

owner of the case ???

 

Nearest thing I can find so far is a cigarette case

https://www.antiques-atlas.com/antique/edwardian_wooden_cigarette_box_with__glass_lid/as1006a325

Other than that, maybe it is a display case for a museum or a shop display for valuables

 

AWESOME case!!!!

 

ciggy case...9 inches wide
this.....30 inches wide.....

maybe even a jewelry showcase.... humm..!!

 

Retail cigar box, possibly? For showcasing the really good stuff sold with the royal warrant? I can see HRH Edward VII toking on a stogie or two. It was definitely made to hold something, and I'd bet a velvet liner of some sort has parted ways over the years.

 

Yes and possibly some inserts to partition it into smaller sections, so it didn't necessarily house 30 inch Camberwell Carrots.

 

True, but the Prince of Wales feathers don't always have the motto.

Maybe a Welsh box? The deer etc could mean it is hunt related.

 

That is why I was thinking in terms of a gun display, but would have to be smaller arms than a rifle. The animals on the front look like goats.

If it was made specifically for some tobacco product, I would expect themes of Indians, tobacco leaves, or some such - not goats and deer. That said, there is a "War Horse Bar" (WHB) brand of plug/bar tobacco, originally formulated by the Gallaher company in Ireland in the last half of the 19th century.
https://www.tobaccopipes.com/war-horse-pipe-tobacco/

 

komokwa, The case is mine, picked it up at an auction last week.
Roaring20 The inside front of the lid looks to have had the same type of morticed notches as the inside back has, I think that wood piece was removed to make room for the modern lock? So the lid would have had 4 strips of wood from front ot back inside the glass. The beveled holes do go all the way thru the back. Look to have been large flat head screws.

The hinges and handle appear to be original to the case and are brass. The glass is thick and quite heavy. I cant find this style of hinges yet?

 

The addition of a new lock indicates an increased concern for security, and the screw holes in the bottom may indicate that the whole box was screwed down to a table.

 

It could also be a Jewelry display case, I found a WHB Jewelry Company?

 

Welsh mountain goats -

 

Certainly looks like a one-off to me. Nice box regardless of it's former use.

 

All I found was a German company that makes shelves