Large lantern shaped wood/glass cabinet?

Trying to determine if this is a faux-tique or the real deal. The patina looks a little "wrong", so I'm leaning strongly toward a fairly recent manufacture, but something about it does feel "old." I haven't been able to find anything else that looks quite like it.

Wooden cabinet with mortised joints on door. Finials and feet have same shape. Large brass ring attached to beveled top. Glass is flat/smooth.

I'm attaching photos, let me know if you need to see more details.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

 

Looks old to me.

 

Hm. Why am I thinking this shape was intended to hold a clock or some scientific instrument?

 

The pictures don't show the scale well, but the box is quite large. It's approximately 19.5" x 19.5" x 26.5" high (including feet/finials).

Yeah, it does feel old, but seems a little off. If the glass panels were hand made, I'd be convinced.

 

Wow, that is big. Odd that there is a ring on top as if it should only weigh an amount able to be lifted with that.

 

The ring is a serious piece of hardware, and can easily lift the whole thing, but I can't imagine why anyone would want something so large swinging around. I'm guessing the ring is supposed to lend it a lantern-esque appearance.

 

It does look like a clock case,maybe its a grandfather clock top someone repurposed ?

 

Looks old to me too. The case reminds me of a scientific balance scale case, but the brass ring is a puzzler to me.

 

Maybe it was a display case for a store? No clue why it would have a ring at the top, though.

 

Don't be misled by the glass. It was being machine rolled in the mid 19th C here. Having said that, it's a bit self conscious if that makes sense, so I can see why you might think it repro. My vote is older but got at. I suspect it held something like a hygrometer or suchlike.

 

I think Owned is on the right track. It reminded me of the enclosures made for microscopes (only they are usually oval on top). A hygrometer is something that might be needed in different places...

 

I think just the fact that the ring has a plate, and it's inset, no one would bother to do that today for a fake. Nor would they bother to mortise and tenon the door and maybe more of it.
Is there a larger plate inside at the top so as to spread any heavy load out?
It is also likely the finials are connected to the 'feet' to take the load for you couldn't have the lid pulling off when hanging/carrying it.
This looks so familiar..... It think Dickens illustrations when I see it.
Could it be for a policeman walking a beat with a light from long ago? The size concerns me for this option.

 

That's the thing that's tripping me up. Although some stuff seems hinky, the construction seems beyond what an Indonesian "antique factory" would bother to do.

I considered the lantern option as well, but there are no vents and no sign of smoke/carbon inside the top. The inside smells like someone has been using it in their shabby-chic living room to hold scented candles.

 

Good point on the vents!
The more I think about it the more some scientific instrument but why hang it... Compass maybe?

 

Maybe not to hang, just to carry.

 

It's quite large and would be heavy enough without anything in it for any distance.