I got about 30 of these and had no idea what they were. Now we have preprinted bags and boxes for every store, but back in the 10s-20s-30s your store purchases would be put in a box, wrapped with brown paper, and tied with string. The really big, fancy, city department stores went a step further and attached one of these carrying handles to the string. I have some plain ones but stores would glue a paper label with the store's name and address.