All About Lane Cedar Chests
One of my favorite refinishing projects is a cedar chest. They are such versatile pieces and can be used for storage, or as a coffee or occasional table just about anywhere! And when you think about cedar chests, Lane is the brand that often comes to mind. When I get a piece of furntiure, one of the first things I will do is research the maker if there is a maker’s mark. And over the years I have learned some things about Lane cedar chests that I’ve found interesting. I’m sharing them in this article and hoping you do too!
History of Lane Furniture Company
Lane Furniture Company is known for its cedar chests, which it started manufacturing in 1912 under the Standard Red Cedar Chest Company name. During World War I the company transitioned to making pine ammunition boxes for the U.S. government and expanded its assembly capacity to meet these needs. After the war, they took advantage of this capacity to grow their cedar chest production and sales. In 1922, they switched the name to Lane Furniture Company and continued making cedar chests until 2001. They expanded to other types of furniture in the 1950s and continued to make furniture under the Lane brand until 2022.
Lane invested heavily in marketing in the 1920s. One of their most successful campaigns was the Girl Graduate Plan, which gifted miniature cedar chests to girls at high school graduation. These chests had to be picked up at a Lane dealership, where they would be offered a discount on a full-sized version to use as a hope chest to start saving things for marriage.
What does the Lane serial number mean?
Want to know when a cedar chest was made? Look no further than the serial number. This 6- or 7-digit number, when read backwards from right to left, gives the exact date of manufacture. If it is a 7-digit number the last digit (all the way to the left) is the plant number where the chest was produced. Using the example above, the serial number 658101 translates to 10/18/56, or October 18, 1956. If this number was 7 digits and started with a 4, then the 4 would mean that the chest was manufactured in plant 4. This applies to all types of Lane furniture, not just cedar chests.
Lane cedar chest safety recall
There are lots of amazing vintage Lane cedar chests out there. However, one thing many people don’t know is that the locking mechanism was recalled in 1996 because they are an entrapment hazard. The chests instantly lock when closed, and this has resulted in the deaths of children who had trapped themselves inside. This is important: if you are selling these chests you must remove the original locking mechanism so that it is non-functional. Before the company closed in 2022, you were able to contact Lane directly and get a replacement lock. However this is no longer an option, so I do one of two things when I am refinishing and selling a Lane cedar chest:
- Remove the entire lock and fill the hole with Bondo before painting. I’ll do this if the lock is in bad shape or doesn’t match other hardware on the chest.
- Leave the lock on the chest itself and remove the hook mechanism from the lid. This means there is nothing for the lock to engage with. A great option if you like the way the lock looks or want to keep the finish wood.
Summary
Lane cedar chests have a fun history and and some of my favorite vintage pieces to refinish. I hope you enjoyed learning more about them too! And if you remember nothing else, it’s that you need to remove those locks!
Other Helpful articles:
- Learn How to Paint Furniture
- Choosing the Perfect Paint Color for Furniture
- The Knapp Joint Explained
Want to learn about all things furniture? Make sure to sign up for my newsletter for more! I share furniture refinishing and business tips along with the pieces I refinish that are available for purchase.