Featured Interesting hand made solid wood box help please.

Guesses he was just showing off his router skills and, whatever you wanted to put in the cubby was just fine with him.
Box was router "carved" from a solid block of wood.

 

I'd say the same. It looked like a cool thing to do, so he did it.

 

Correcto-Mundo

 

It's an artist thing, and I'd imagine something a woodworker from any era would have done.

 

I have a puzzle box that, now I think about it, was probably made from a single block of wood. I have several wood bowls that are, I think, lathe turned? On two the rim still has a little of the bark around it, & one of those also has little holes all around that I suppose were made by some pest, which give it a lacy look. That was my first, giving me a taste for work in diseased wood.

 

Thank you all very much for your interest and exceptional information as usual.
Now to ask how to bring it back to life. It is dry and dull. Or maybe just me?

 

Wiping varnish would be the easiest and foolproof as well, you really can't mess up with it, wipe it on, wipe it off a few mins later.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Minwax-16-...A3aLYUb0Y9vcH39SUi4aAk2wEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

try tung oil

 

Nice! I'll give it a try.