Antique bottle fitted into a small metal box (? related to tobacco ?)

[SandiR]

looks like a travel ink:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/897797782/vintage-french-travel-inkwell-bag-shaped?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_ca_en_ca_a-craft_supplies_and_tools-other&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAjwp7eUBhBeEiwAZbHwkY665LgDoKHVWAciqDbNqgmHv7NSzY7uvEkAsxeoDjU2el3p7y1U8BoCRxYQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_318291525_19444350045_75295133925_pla-106551294035_c__897797782enca_135370165&utm_custom2=318291525&gclid=CjwKCAjwp7eUBhBeEiwAZbHwkY665LgDoKHVWAciqDbNqgmHv7NSzY7uvEkAsxeoDjU2el3p7y1U8BoCRxYQAvD_BwE

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234292154386?hash=item368ce69012:g:DCgAAOSwQChhlYzE

 

[nags38]

Hi. Would any of you know the purpose of this object? (See four photos, attached.) It is a small metal hinged box (about 1.25 inches on each side, roughly a cube) into which is placed a small glass bottle, which appears to have been specifically made to fit inside the metal box. The metal box has no bottom at all (see photo #2), so I guess that the maker slid the bottle upwards through the bottom. (It's now wedged in there pretty tight.) When you open the latch of the box, you see the top rim of the bottle (see right side of photo # 3) and (within the lid) what appears to be a matching glass piece with a small hole in the center (see left side of photo # 3). There are no vent holes in the metal sides or lid of the box. It looks as if some substance was being burned as there is a heavy soot residue around the top rim of the bottle and also on the matching glass piece in the lid. I found this piece in a homeowner's discard pile which also contained quite a few packets and tins of very old chewing and smoking tobacco. So I'm wondering if this is a tobacco related product. Or perhaps it might be an incense or snuff burner? Or could it be a very small oil lamp? Thanks for your expertise.

Looks like an ink well for use when travelling