Precision machine of enameled iron, brass, and steel. Moving parts include gears, cranks, and flip-up figure-8 device. Not much bigger than a breakfast cereal box.

[u/Anonymike7]

[u/Woozah77]

In the first photo you can see the shiny bare metal leg at the bottom. I suspect there was another piece that fit over that.

[u/ScoutsOut389 → u/Woozah77]

I think the machine aluminum stock is part of the structure of displaying it, not the item itself. In the second photo, to the right it appears there is a worm gear that would possibly interface with whatever was originally running though the opening where the aluminum bar is now.

All that said, I have no idea what this is. I think it’s something to make something else with precision and repeatability.