This column first appeared in June 2015.
The first years were a struggle for Edward Lane. The small furniture factory that he had started in Alta Vista, Virginia sat at the junction of the Virginian and Southern railways, making for an excellent source of transportation of materials to the factory and finished products out to distributors. The natural resources and relatively inexpensive labor available in the area were another plus. Yet business was slow.
His first break came with a government contract at the beginning of WWI to produce pine ammunition boxes. Forced by the sizeable demands of that contract, Lane developed a highly efficient assembly line and for a while business at the little factory was plentiful. However, with the end of the war came an end to the lucrative contracts, and once again Lane was faced with a lack of work.
Combining the assembly techniques he had developed during the war years and drawing from the wealth of the surrounding forests, the factory began the production of cedar lined chests. By 1920 the company launched a national ad campaign for their simple storage chests with the slogan, “the gift that starts the home.” The revival of the age-old tradition of the hope chest caught the imagination of the young women of America, and for Lane, business was once again booming.
Lane’s ad campaign reached the pinnacle during World War II. Leaving their sweethearts behind to go off to war, thousand of GIs flocked to furniture stores to purchase a Lane Hope Chest as a parting gift. The ads featured patriotic slogans and romantic images of men in uniform with their fiancées, and as if that wasn’t “Mom and apple pie” enough, they selected Shirley Temple as their national spokeswoman. Not surprisingly, sales soared.
There are a number of Lane Chests that are collectible. The most rare (and expensive) are the hand-painted three-drawer chests from the late-1920s. The biscuit-leg walnut “blanket style” chests from the 30s with their ornate designs are also desirable. If you are budget-minded, the Deco “Waterfall” chests made from the late 1935-1950 are still in abundance. Also watch for one of these Lane Deco chests with a small clock built into the backsplash. In the late 1950s Lane made several tall chests in a Georgiana reproduction style. These chests with their tall legs and heavy drawer pulls are increasing in value.
Trends in decorating are a factor to consider when valuing your Lane cedar chest. Due to the growing interest in Retro decor, we are seeing an increased demand for mid-20th Century Danish Modern chests from the 1960s and 70s. Also from this era (although difficult to find due to their short production run) are the slant-sided dough box-style chests which are popular with those who prefer a more primitive motif.
As with all furniture, condition can be a deal breaker. The presence of scratches, missing veneer, or mold and mildew will greatly reduce the value of even the finest piece.
I always tell you to watch for the original hardware when buying period furniture pieces, but we have a unique situation with chests made by the Lane Company. In 1987, to appease the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Lane announced a voluntary program to replace the locks on all chest manufactured 1912 -1987. The new safety locks, which would prevent a child from being shut in the chest and suffocating, will appear on many chests. Due to these special circumstances, they are not considered a detriment to value. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates.