That beige is unusual for machine-tools but rings a vague bell with me – only for the life of me I can't recall which make of machine-tool I saw it on.
It might be part of a saddle-stop for some non-Myford machine, so with six divisions possibly a capstan lathe or a 6-station turret-drill; but that would not account for what appears to be a clamping-slot and screw; and I would expect a handle rather than spanner-hexagon on the screw on something you would need to re-set frequently and quickly.
A pity the photos don't include a rule of other scale, but estimating from the knurled handle, it does seem to need the spindle moving an appreciable axial distance to index it.
Nor do we know if it has been adapted, and how, to its last use. The remains of two very different colours suggest to me that it was fitted to some new home then the visible area was painted to match.
The parts sticking out of the "front" might be work-pieces still in place, or part of its own function.
It could have originally been part of some highly-specialised machine, perhaps not even for cutting metal but some task like winding electrical coils; but has been wandering around ever since as something that might come in handy!
AH! I have reminded myself….
Now I recall seeing that yellowish-beige on an old coil-winding machine, though I do not know the make. So this object might have been from the same stable. Part of an armature-winder for small motors, maybe? .