Thanks, that's what we thought but all the jewelry cases we have seen have a fabric/soft interior and this is hard plastic.

"dresser box"...pocket coins, keys, collar stays, cuff links....the sort of stuff that would be picked up the next morning and put back in his pockets.
My father used a salt cod box...in the top drawer of his dresser....which of course Is till ahve!

We have a similar silver box, lined with strips of wood that are removable, that was meant for cigarettes. It is shorter. It was a business gift to members at the facility dedication about 46 years ago.

Well, I imagine that the box could easily be used as lindac's father used an appropriated box. But I agree with the OP who said that regular 'dresser' boxes were padded. I first thought decks of cards, but they are 2.5" wide and it appears that the box here would hold something a little less than 2.5" wide. It turns out that cigarette packs are 2.2" wide. Sounds plausible to me.

I am of the age when a cigarette box sat on everyone's coffee table. I have a silver one that was a bride's maid gift and another that was a wedding gift. That is NOT a cigarette box, nor a card box. The fact that it is engraved with someone's initials makes a very strong case for a dresser box.

Thanks all, I can definitely see it as a dresser box .... especially since it's had a lot of use. I don't think a cigarette box would have had my Dad's initials.

Often called a "valet box"...google it!

Might it have held a set of brushes?

It was for on a dresser to put your tie bar, cuff links, collar stays and wallet in. Those sorts of things were often used for groomsmen gifts.