manicmike

I have two of these now, and both really need to be loved.
Has anyone really gone to town on one? I've found that the glue on Victorian items like this usually 'stops functioning' (bits start falling off) and I assume the glue is animal based.
How do you reglue it? Where do you get the velvet lining? Is shellac applied to the wood exterior? Paint with Boiled Linseed Oil before shellac-ing?

I imagined that the wood can be treated exactly like cabinet and coffin lid wood. Is this reasonable?