The backstory is quite simple -- there really isn't one.
If I was forced to say something, I purchased this at a swap meet, but the seller I bought it from had zero clue what it was.
I've googled it in the past, and never found anything like it.
Can anyone tell me what this might be, and the history behind it?
I was able to find this, but it didn't have much history. Being so hard to find, I thought it might be worth a bit more than what it went for 11 years ago... but thought maybe an expert here could shine some light.