strange table - cabinet -- purpose?

[tbrudy]

Hi, first-time poster here! Any knowledge is greatly appreciated.

I recently acquired a table about 3' tall with an extra shelf and a cabinet, and I am wondering the curious use of the cabinet. It is lined all around with sheet-metal (tin?), and inside the door is a removable device that looks like (but isn't) a filter. The device is copper and removable, and the face is covered with holes and is filled with an unknown non-metal material. The device reminds me of those little humidor "coins" you can saturate with water to keep tobacco moist.

Any ideas what the original purpose of this table / cabinet might be?

[ironlord1963]

My first thought was to keep something warm like a early oven of some sorts, but you have a better ideal then I.  I don't normally commit on items I know nothing about, but had to step in and say this is going to be a good post to watch. 

[KC]

This is a smokers humidor stand.  You will find "vintage" humidor cabinets for sale.  These were very popular in victorian era to early 1950's.  Many are copper lined.

Another example can be found at http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Mahogany-Copper-Lined-Humidor-Stand_W0QQitemZ180335229558QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item180335229558&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50


You will find some people that will tend to say that it is a side cabinet to hold the "chamber pot" for the days when there wasn't any indoor plumbing....but they rarely, if ever, had a metal liner.  If you look for side cabinets to hold chamber pots....they are all wood.