On a forum I frequent this strange device was shown with a query as to its purpose. It is in France just at the North edge of Paris in the St Denis area( it is actually currently the site of Olympic site infrastructure. The device is incomplete and the signs in front of it (in French) do not refer to the actual device. The clearrish part in the center of the "drum" is a ground glass plate which has regular markings (perhaps for measuring something?) A forum member was at a tour and the guide mentions that it is the "vestiges of equipment for research and development". The site was previously part of a research park of the French energy company Engie.
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Did you try a Google Image Search? – Carl Witthoft Jan 25 '21 at 12:31
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1@CarlWitthoft I did. Google suggests that it is a current transformer although I can't say why, there are no relevantly similar images. On the enlarged image one can read the poster ZAC Plaine Saulnier urban renovation project in Sen-Denis, so perhaps one can ask them what it is, or ask at Engie. – Conifold Jan 27 '21 at 00:20
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1From my optics background, I think I see a telescope mounted on an azimuth-elevation system (albeit the whole thing is mounted vertically), allowing whatever it's pointed at to be brought to that glass plate "test plane" at any desired angle. Why, and what might have been behind the plate remain a mystery. – Carl Witthoft Jan 27 '21 at 15:18
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@Conifold I suspect the Google seach matched the cube-frame full of wires with photos of electric power switching stations – Carl Witthoft Jan 27 '21 at 15:19