Unidentified 19th C. Curved Oak drawer & large Compartment desk?

I've wondered if this may have been in some industrial or telegraph type office where locking a larger item in the large centre cabinet was necessary. And related paperwork or accessories were kept in the small drawers? And why the longer curved centre drawer? Drawer dovetails are rather crude. Each different. The centre cabinet brass latch is marked "Warranted" and "Secure Leverlock". Size 47" x 17"
Basically, what was it used for? And what is its age?

 

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Could very well be an office or other commercial piece. Think turn of the century and English. Common for cabinet doors to lock, so not specific to a public use. Curved drawer is just an interesting design aspect.

 

could it be a buffet , ... I don't see desk !

The wood is lovely , and locking the silver away is not unheard of !

 

Google could not find another example in its data base, never mind the curved drawer - not on any similar furniture. Though I have seen that curved drawer design on a high end tall English Liberty & Co. 1900 cabinet drawer once. I'd imagine it was quite an unnecessary additional expense if it was just to have a unique look for this oak piece. I also double checked, and all the dovetails are different from each other - not machined. So I assumed pre 1890. But no doubt a lot of older wood working methods were carried over into the 20th C. for a time.

 

I agree with buffet cabinet. A desk would have someplace to put one's legs.

 

Think office credenda or back cabinet for a store. A home buffet would not have so many drawers.

 

still , not a desk..

 

Oops...... credenda = credenza