Resident in the UK and fitted with an effective "double-flywheel" treadle drive, this very ornamentally styled lathe could have been made from around 1800 to 1850. Intended for wood turning - and with the low power output from the drive system - the slender headstock and tailstock castings show that the designer has managed to get always with form over function.
The reason for the complex construction of the bed - with the central section having its front and back faces formed with complex curves and sandwiched between wooden rails - is unknown, but might the casting be a section of architectural ironwork that has been repurposed? Additional to this is the fact that the work carries, at each end, marks and holes that show something was once attached to it.
The maker is, of course, unknown, but the unique styling is such that it could be immediately identified - if only an advertisement showing the machine can be found.