Featured Interesting hand made solid wood box help please.

I found this little box at my local Goodwill for a song.
5 3/4" x 3 3/4" x 1 1/2". Looks to be made from one solid piece of wood? Maple of some kind maybe?
I have some questions as what type of wood it is?
The black areas I am not sure what it is, maybe what's left of a picture or drawing? or ?
The inside is carved very unique like for a specific purpose?
The maker created his little brass plaque with his name and date on it. P Something and 82 which i assume must be 1982?
I would like to clean it up and possibly varnish or lacquer?
Suggestions are appreciated please.
Mikey

 

Czuk?

I wonder if it's olive wood.

 

Yes, it does look like olive wood.

Gesundheit!

 

Found him. Peter Czuk. Thanks a bunch @Bakersgma

 

Merry Christmas Mikey!

 

Merry Christmas to you Sue.
Very cool he answered my email. Said he did these burl boxes in the 70s and 80s .
Mikey

 

Cool! Did he say which species of wood this was?

 

I asked. Waiting to hear back from him.

 

Looks like it could be spalted maple in the photo.

"Spalted Maple is technically not a specific species of Maple, but rather a type of Maple that has been allowed to begin initial stages of decay. The partial decay, called spalting, gives the wood dark contrasting lines and streaks where fungus has begun to attack the wood."

 

Yes he emailed me back. Spalted maple and router carved. Awesome

 

Sort of looks like a guy's jewelry box....cuff links in the middle, watch, change????

 

Yeah, cool stuff no doubt.
One has to be lucky to get spalted maple, it's just starting to decay but hasn't gotten "punky" yet which would make it worthless.
Spalted maple can go for big money depending on the figure.

 

Interesting, Thanks for following up, Mikey.

 

Book-matched spalted maple lumber, if you have to ask, you can't afford it.
Luthiers (especially guitar makers) pay big money for this kind of wood.

 

Nice!

 

This guys pieces get some good prices.
Found only one box. Same wood only 3"×3"
Sold for $50. In 2017.

 

He got my picture, Spalted maple from Michigan

 

It's a crying shame it wasn't recognized, but those of us here would be crying all the way to the tabletop to sit it on!

 

You didn't by chance ask him what the structure in the inside is for? Know you probably don't want to bug him again. Cufflinks/studs?