Cast iron string cages were a common sight in retail businesses in the late 19th through the mid-20th century. String was used to secure parcels of merchandise. This cage was designed with a loop on the top so that it could hang, and the string is dispensed through a hole in the base. Some cages were designed to sit on the countertop and the string pulled up from a hole in the domed top section. The top and bottom sections easily pulled apart so that a new ball of string could be inserted.