The wires look exactly like Austrian phone wire like it was used in the 1930ies and earlier, only the conductors were twisted around each other (3 wires). They also had the colored stripe.
I've often seen gas pipes in ceilings, most of them still connected to the supply. In many cases there would be a stopple with a hook in it, to hang the light fixture. In most cases solid enough to hang an elephant.
Expert splice, and without doubt perfectly accesible!
Power wires usually looked the same but the cloth was impregnated with a bituminous compund. Makes for absolutely black fingers when working with that stuff!