That looks like an old camphor wood chest. They were made in "the Orient," a century or two back, and people who worked abroad often brought them home with them, stuffed with exotic goodies. Like cedar, camphor is distasteful to bugs, so they're great for storing your good linens. I rather like that smell: it's quite distinctive. They're often very intricately carved, and the escutcheon should have a simple brass pin to lock it (the pins often get lost).