I bought a medium sized wooden box for $20 from a fellow living in a senior community in the Rancho Bernardo area. The box had the most pleasant shape and tapered legs.

After stripping off the original finish and some rough sanding

Rather than using an all-in-one stain/protect oil, I tried my hand at using a standalone Varathane stain and finishing it up with paste wax.

First coat of stain
Second coat of stain. I should have used some some pre-stain or grain conditioner, because the wood was not absorbing the stain evenly. There may be a part 2.
After applying wax, pre wipe. I kept the original finish on the inside, as it was too hard to sand and strip the inside corners.