What was this?

I picked this up at a thrift shop today for $5. It's in rough shape but I can see it as a cute cabinet for quilts or something. It's small enough that it will work in my house. Where? I'm not sure. It needs a lot of tlc, wood putty, wood glue, paint and love. But, it is solid, sturdy and heavy. 

After I got it home, I started wondering what it actually started out life as. The shelf and the bottom are plywood that someone added. The actual bottom that you can see in one of the pictures, has 2 big holes and some little holes that I'm assuming were screw holes.  The back that you see is a piece of cardboard. In the second photo you an see that there is an opening there like the top. There is fabric covering it. I'm assuming the fabric was original. The top opening has ripped fabric around it. The fabric was held in place in a groove with some sort of seal holding it in. I'm not sure if there was ever doors on this. There is no evidence of hinges, but the front edge of the sides might have been sawed off. On the back is a mark cut into it"NC Co. 12" There is also a metal tag at the top of the back "Model 44". I'm thinking maybe it was a cabinet for an old radio?.....or????

Well, I don't know what it was but with a little, no make that a lot of love, it will be a cute cabinet. I love the lines of the legs. I'm sure Alex was wondering just what was I thinking when he helped me carry it into the basement. Like his father, he has trouble seeing the potential in things like this.
Well, off to get some work done.