I tend to agree with both Tamrock, and Itsmine. The wheel appears to be metal, and I think casters shifted to plastic mostly in the late fifties and sixties, and the carving is the sign of the fish, a Christian symbol, although I think that's more common in the Protestant faiths. It's a great looking cedar chest! Nice find.
I might add, if you're planning on keeping it, a light sanding of the inside wood will refresh that wonderful cedar scent.