What is this wooden box with wires?

[SuperLoudPoppingAction]

It's in a cupboard on my first floor, very high up.

Random Google strings have resulted in my wondering if it's a back box for lighting from about the 40s.

But I couldn't find photos of that.

Phone line?

I’d have thought it’s an old phone line as well

Looks like a couple of large 1.5 Volt batteries possible to do wiht a internal phone system..

I can't see it that clearly but it reminds me of a kitchen I once knew that had a row of bells to alert ( long dead ) servants that they were wanted in one room or another. Don't get rid of it - it might come in handy if you find yourself with Staff.

Or possibeyl a bell system for calling the maids ands staff?.

DP says he thinks it’s a battery and a bell, which isn’t helpful 😂 but potentially related to old telephone line.

Thanks, all! The house is from about 1870 so it could be something like that. I think they did have staff but not loads. It's not a super massive house.

So if I put things on the shelf next to it, they won't go on fire?

I never noticed the shelf before. I've been here 3 years!

I was hoping it might be a safe so I could have a long running thread about what might be in it.

You could post a few more pictures close up ones of the tops of the batteies and any makers names?.

Repeater system for a door bell or telephone?

I'm wondering if it is some kind of telephone/intercom. We are dismantling a shed which has similar wires in it.

It's hard to get good photos as the shelf is right over a lightbulb so it's like staring into the sun, and it is stuck there with the wires. I couldn't see makers' names but will have another look.

The box is a battery, the glass containers are for electrolyte with the graphite rod likely to be an anode in the centre.

Growing up, my friend’s house had an old call system for servants. It was brilliant, you had a little push button in the bedrooms and a display in the kitchen to show which room was calling. I could do with one now to call the teenagers as opposed to bellowing or texting. It would have to work the other way though, I wouldn’t be up for running up to deliver more toast when summoned by the bell!
It didn’t look like that though OP! just to eliminate that from your ideas!

An electrician just looked at it and thinks it's an old bell.

But absolutely- the one's I've seen still in place have been like a system of pulleys and bells in one room, with little bells by the fireplaces of the other rooms.

There is a great reddit board where people find stuff and ask what the hell is this? It is full of weird and wonderful things.

I assume the wires in the house and wires in the shed are linked. Way of getting the attention of the person in the shed.

@SuperLoudPoppingAction

An electrician just looked at it and thinks it's an old bell.

But absolutely- the one's I've seen still in place have been like a system of pulleys and bells in one room, with little bells by the fireplaces of the other rooms.

My friend’s one was a wired one, not bells with pulleys, like little round doorbells.

Like these

Yep - we had those by the fireplace in the house I grew up in.no remnants of them here but it has been decorated/renovated.

It's the Time Machine from Dark!

I want it to be that.

Second electrician thinks it's the front door bell, which makes sense. There is the remnant of a button for it on the front door.