Origin of a cabinet

I am interested in knowing the origin of the pictured cabinet.  It is made entirely of wood (base wood appears to be mahogony), with the exception of the glass in the door.    The various inlayed woods include ebony, maple, rosewood, and burled walnut - and perhaps others as well.  It has been in the family since 1968 and was purchased at that time for 700 USD.

The interior walls and tops of the two shelves are covered with a thin royal blue velvet, and it is quite fragile due to its age.

Its dimensions are: 41.5 x 32 x 21 (H x W x D) inches. 

Attached are various views.

As you will see, the cabinet has a glass in the door.  This glass is clearly original given its characteristics.

I have found no maker‘s mark after carefully inspecting all possible sides, including the inside.

If anyone has any information on the potential origin of this piece, I would be most appreciative.

  I am not one of the experts on this site but might we have a photo of the backside? 
There is an interesting cut to the side.  Is the back finished- like a podium? 
Or was it a custom piece perhaps even on a ship at one time?

Quote from: DancingDog

   I am not one of the experts on this site but might we have a photo of the backside? 
There is an interesting cut to the side.  Is the back finished- like a podium? 
Or was it a custom piece perhaps even on a ship at one time?

We own a bookcase with a similar "interesting cut to the side" and it is a baseboard and molding profile, cut away so the case will fit snugly against the wall, as if built-in. Or rather, I should say, to fit snugly against a specific wall...

  Thanks for the information.  I would love to see the wall that cabinet came from! The entire house actually!

Quote from: DancingDog
   I am not one of the experts on this site but might we have a photo of the backside? 
There is an interesting cut to the side.  Is the back finished- like a podium? 
Or was it a custom piece perhaps even on a ship at one time?

An image of the backside will be attached.  It is definitively not of the quality of the front -- meaning that it is unfinished.  There are sets of holes in the back side which I believe are there to allow light inside.  The holes themselves cannot be seen from the front, except when one is sitting directly in front of the door. 

Given the cut of the backside to fit the profile of a wall, this would imply a custom piece.

Quote from: mycroft
There are sets of holes in the back side which I believe are there to allow light inside. 

Or for ventilation, perhaps?

I was thinking that ventilation seems plausible, but mounted directly against a wall might make this a bit ineffective.  There are always mice to contend with too. 

In looking at the back, it appears that something was mounted across those holes.  I almost wonder if there were three mirrors glued on for decorative effect or if somebody (at some time in the cabinet's history) made up some sort of early lightbulb socket racks to illuminate curiosities displayed on the shelves (although the heat might have been an issue without ventilation, depending on wattage & such). 

Is there any change in the coloration of the wood or fabric in way of those holes?  ...something that might suggest a lightbulb or some other thing having once portruded from the front-side of the holes?

- Jason