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  Carbonised

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  The item is indeed the "Hlaalu boxes, compact", as has been stated before.
  
  It's a blacksmithing schematic, so it's safe to say they primarily consist of some kind of metallic alloy, which also matches the visual presentation.
  
  These boxes are usually found around traders, vendors, banks and other commercial venues, and also, Hlaalu is the Dunmeri great house most often associated with trade and commerce.
  
  I think it's safe to conlude that the primary objective of these boxes is to hold valuables, most likely coinage and other precious objects, such as gemstones or jewelry grains. In lieu of real cash register, these boxes could serve as containers for various types of payment, such as gold coins. The many small compartments also gives me the idea that they serve as a form of cash register, with different types of coin going into a separate compartment.
  
  The overall frame seems to be able to close over all the boxes, and probably also has some kind of lock function, so the coin and valuables inside would be kept safe.
  
  I am pretty confident that is the primary function of these boxes, though you are of course free to put whatever into them as you please, for the ones you craft for your own homes. Personally, I use them in my own "offices" along with items such as the Indoril Vault, Sealed and other coin and gold type items.

  #2

  August 2018

  Answer ✓

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  ghastley

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  They're for your stamp collection. Or bug collection, or coin collection, or ... A collection of small boxes for boxing a collection of small items.

  #3

  August 2018

  Answer ✓

  2
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  RaddlemanNumber7

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  These are devices traditionally used by the Dunmer for divination. The number of the small boxes confirms it.
  

  
  Fortune-telling devices such a these have a very long history stretching back to the time of the nomadic velothi culture. In those days the set consisted of a number of carved chitin plaques, rather than boxes. There were 18 plaques, arranged face down in 3 rows of 6 in their container. There was one plaque for each of the 16 Daedric Princes, one plaque showing Saint Veloth, and lastly a blank plaque for Sithis. To make a divination the supplicant would ask a question about a matter that was troubling them and then pick one of the plaques to see what the outcome would be. For example, if you picked the blank plaque it was certain that the wise women of your tribe would definitely be taking an interest in you and your affairs.
  
  The divination boxes and the lore surrounding them have been developed and elaborated upon over the years. Images of the Tribunal and various saints have replaced the daedra. The plaques first had two hinged leaves added to them, and then later two separate square plaques were added that could be held between the folded hinged plaques. When folded up each group of five plaques now looks liked a small cube or box. The loose plaques are carved with a range of 36 daedric symbols, and these can be shuffled before being inserted into the folding plaques, which are themselves shuffled before being placed into 3 rows of 6 in their container. Long religious ceremonies have been developed to prepare the full set of 18 blocks of shuffled and folded plaques before the supplicant can make their pick. Once a pick has been made an expert priest will consult a set of huge tomes to find the meaning of that particular combination of plaques and then interpret it into something appropriate to the circumstances on which the supplicant seeks guidance. Supplicants with bad fortunes may be brought to the attention of the Office of Ordination. The Dunmer are now a civilised people after all.
  
  Many of the Dunmer houses have their own variants of these fortune-telling devices. Some are intended to be used in a more light hearted fashion. The Dres version has the original 18 boxes, but each box contains just a small folded sheet of parchment with a trite axion or motto written upon it, e.g. "Spare the rod and spoil the child". They are traditionally used at year-end family feasts. No prizes for guessing whose skin is used to make the parchment.
  
  The version we see in the game is the Hlaalu one. It has only ten boxes, not only because the Hlaalu are cheap but because each box contains just a number. A single digit, ranging from 0 to 9, carved onto a spring-loaded basalt tablet which is revealed with a sharp "snap" by pressing the button on top of the box. They are used almost exclusively for gambling. This is not illegal or sacrilegious in any way, and the only authority likely to take notice of an unfortunate selection is your bank manager.
  
  It is rumoured that there is a Clockwork version of this divinatory device. It consists of a single box. It was allegedly invented by Sotha Sil as a means of proving the absolute non-existence of cosmic uncertainty, and thus unequivocally proving the existence of the Dreamer. Even if you do not know what is inside the box the Dreamer does. It is also alleged that Sotha Sil used the device to definitively prove that Vivec will always cheat in order to win any game of chance in which he is playing.
  

  
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  PC EU
  

  #4

  August 2018

  Answer ✓

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