Could this be a pipe holder? If not what is it?

This item has been in the family for a long time but no one is absolutely sure what it is .
It is glazed pottery. The base is 11cm x 9cm. The top is removable and the white sides are ridged although I don't think they are rough enough to give a spark.
Sadly the dog has been glued into place just above the back leg and the woman's hand has also been glued.
No makers mark but there is a number ?79 on the bottom.
Has anyone seen anything like this? Is it a pipe holder - no-one in the family is known to have smoked a pipe in the previous two generations.

How deep are those holes? They need to be reasonably deep to hold a pipe. Ink pots, mustard et al containers?

The holes are only about 2 cm deep but they are open ended and go into the body of the container.

It might well be a hoidaymakes 'souvenir pipe stand then! Lots of men smoked pipes in the Victorian times, and well into the 60's. The main trouble with this one though is the slanted nature the holes in the roof. Most Pipe stands had the pipe standing straight. But souvenir holiday makers for the holiday trade did not really care about details like that! They would try anything!