Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
When the first iteration of the Lane Furniture company began to produce its now-famous Lane cedar chests in the early 20th century, the family behind the brand was unsure of how successful they’d be, so they initially didn’t bother adding their name to the offerings.
The manufacturer was off to a modest start but the family was industrious: The Lanes were made up of farmers and contractors who’d built more than 30 miles of the Virginian railroad. They owned a cotton mill and purchased thousands of acres of land in Campbell County, Virginia, where the Virginian railroad was intended to cross the main line of the Southern Railway.
The Lanes hoped to start a town in this region of the state, and by 1912, streets for the town of Altavista had been laid out and utility lines were installed. In the spring of that year, John Lane purchased a defunct box factory at a bankruptcy auction. His son, Edward Hudson Lane, was tasked with the manufacturing of the cedar “hope” chests for which the Lane family would become known, even though the company was initially incorporated as the Standard Red Cedar Chest Company.
The Standard Red Cedar Chest Company struggled in its early days but introduced an assembly system at its small factory after securing a contract with the federal government to produce ammunition boxes made of pine during World War I. The company prospered and applied mass-production methods to its cedar-chest manufacturing after the war, and, in 1922, rebranding as the Lane Company, it implemented a national advertising campaign to market its products. Ads tied the company’s strong cedar hope chests to romance. Anchored by copy that read “The gift that starts the home,” the campaign rendered a Lane cedar chest a necessary purchase for young women to store linens, clothing and keepsakes as they prepared to marry.
Wartime production during World War II had Lane producing aircraft parts. In the 1950s, the family-owned company began to branch out into manufacturing tables, bedroom pieces and other various furnishings for the entire home. The brand’s vintage mid-century furniture is highly sought after.
Lane’s Acclaim walnut furniture line, which, designed by Andre Bus, has been compared to Drexel’s Declaration series for its blend of modern furniture’s clean contours and traditional craftsmanship. Ads for the Lane series suggested that it included “probably the best-selling table in the world.” (There are end tables, cocktail tables and more in the Acclaim collection, sporting graceful tapered legs and dovetail inlays.) Later, during the 1960s, Lane offered handsome modular wall units designed by the likes of Paul McCobb. The company was acquired by United Furniture Industries in 2017 and became particularly well-known among contemporary consumers for its upholstered furniture. In 2022 United abruptly closed and ceased operations at Lane.
Vintage Lane furniture is generally characterized by relatively neutral styles, which are versatile in different kinds of interiors, as well as good quality woods and careful manufacturing. All of these attributes have made Lane one of the most recognizable names in American furniture.
Browse storage cabinets, side tables and other vintage Lane furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Faux Leather, Walnut, Cedar
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut, Cedar
Mid-20th Century American Queen Anne Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Wood, Hardwood, Mahogany, Cedar
Mid-20th Century North American Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Rattan, Cedar
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Wood, Cedar
20th Century American Chippendale Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Wood, Walnut
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Wood, Cedar
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut, Cedar
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass, Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Chippendale Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Metal
Mid-20th Century British Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Cedar
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Mahogany, Cedar
Early 20th Century Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Mahogany, Cedar
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass
Late 19th Century Peruvian Spanish Colonial Antique Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Mahogany
20th Century American Chippendale Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Wood, Cedar
Early 20th Century Tudor Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut, Cedar, Wood
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut, Cedar
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Bamboo, Wicker
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut, Cedar
Mid-20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Metal
1940s British Art Deco Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut, Cedar
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Naugahyde, Walnut, Cedar
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Metal
Mid-20th Century American American Empire Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American American Classical Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Cedar, Mahogany
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Cedar, Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lane Furniture Blanket Chests
Walnut
Lane Furniture blanket boxes for sale on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022No, the last Lane cedar chest produced was in 2001 and the plant was then permanently closed. The company hit its heights in World War II, using a great ad campaign and encouraging the purchase of cedar chests, known as Hope Chests. In 1987 a hostile corporate purchase occurred and the new owners filed for bankruptcy in 1992. Shop a collection of Lane chests from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023To identify Lane furniture, look for the manufacturer's mark. On a Lane cedar chest, you'll find it on the bottom. Other pieces may display the marking on the base or back or inside a drawer. Most pieces will also have a serial number. Read the digits from right to left to determine the year of production. For example, a chest that says 850303 indicates that Lane produced the piece on March 30, 1958. In some cases, you may see one extra digit at the end. This number represents the plant that made the piece. If you're unsure about the authenticity of a Lane chest or other furnishing, a certified appraiser can assist you with the identification. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Lane furniture.
- How do I date Lane Furniture?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Lane Furniture includes serial numbers on its items. To determine the date an item was produced, read the serial number backwards to spell out the day, month and year. Shop a collection of expertly vetted Lane furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022To read Lane Furniture serial numbers, look from right to left. The first two numbers represent the month, and the second two tell you the day. Examine the last two numbers to find out the year of production. For example, a serial number that reads 189280 indicates a piece made on August 29, 1981. Shop a selection of expertly vetted Lane furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, Lane Furniture does indeed make cedar chests. From 1912 to 1987, the American furniture company estimated it had sold around 12 million chests and that number continues to grow with today’s sales. Cedar chests are widely used to store clothing and linen because cedar wood is a natural repellent against moisture and moths. You can shop a collection of Lane cedar chests from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.