How do you date a lane chest?
How do you read a Lane cedar chest serial number?
All Lane cedar chests have a serial number. It doubles as the manufacturing date the chest was made when you read the number from right to left or backward. This means a chest generally has a five- or six-digit number that tells the month, day and two-digit year it was built.
When did Lane stop making furniture?
The last Lane cedar chest to be manufactured in the United States rolled off the production line in the summer of 2001, and the plant closed for good.
When did Lane start making cedar chests?
1912
A: The Lane Furniture Company was started in Virginia in 1912 by Edward Hudson Lane. The company started making cedar chests in the 1920s, which were marketed as “hope chests.” In the 1950s, Lane also made television cabinets and occasional tables, then bedroom furniture and recliners in the 1960s and ’70s.
Did Lane Furniture go out of business?
Lane, founded in 1912, was a leading upholstery brand within the Furniture Brands International Inc. platform until that company went into bankruptcy and was sold for $280 million to Heritage in November 2013.
Where are serial numbers on Lane cedar chests?
Locate the serial number usually printed on the bottom of the chest. One antique-lovers’ site suggests that the exact date on a Lane chest can always be determined by reversing the three pairs of numbers that comprise the 6-digit serial number.
What kind of wood are Lane chests made from?
Oldie But Goodie: Traditional Chests
The inside of the chest is lined with cedar, which protects woolens from wool-eating moths, since cedar has a natural resistance to bugs. The company used a variety of exterior woods such as cherry, maple and walnut, and often included detailed carvings on the chest’s exterior.
How do you date a cedar chest?
Age. Most antique cedar chests have a serial number engraved or stamped on a section of the chest. This serial number also doubles as their manufacturing date of the chest. An interesting fact to note is that the serial number is to be read backward (i.e. from right to left).
How long does a cedar chest last?
You can purchase cedar hangers, cedar blocks for moths, and sachets for your clothes and bureaus, but they will be effective for about 3 months.
What are cedar chests for?
A hope chest, also called dowry chest, cedar chest, trousseau chest, or glory box is a piece of furniture traditionally used by unmarried young women to collect items, such as clothing and household linen, in anticipation of married life.
Are hope chests still popular?
The hope chest of the past, also called a wedding or dower chest, is still a popular piece of furniture, although it is no longer used in the traditional way. In 17th and 18th century America, a hope chest was given to a young girl.
What goes in a traditional hope chest?
Items in the hope chest traditionally included dishes, sheets, clothes, cooking accessories, and other household necessities. At the time when hope chests rose to popularity and for many decades afterward, a bride would be responsible for many household duties, so she brought what she would need with her.
Can you use Murphy’s Oil Soap on cedar chest?
Keeping your cedar chest clean on the inside and outside is the best way to maintain its beauty and function. … For medium cleaning, use white vinegar or Murphy’s Oil Soap and a lint-free cloth.
What good is a cedar chest?
Cedar chests sometimes are made from a different wood on the outside, but lined with cedar. Cedar is a preferred wood for storage because it repels insects and fungi, and has a fresh aromatic scent. It is especially beneficial for storing fabric items, including heirlooms.
How do you get the cedar smell back?
Fortunately, cedar that has lost its scent can be restored by simply sanding the exposed wood surfaces lightly. (Likewise, a cedar sachet used in a drawer needs only to be pinched a bit to release a fresh scent from the wood shavings inside.)
How do you clean the inside of a Lane cedar chest?
Wipe Down the interior
Mild Maintenance – Furniture polish and furniture polish rag. Wipe down the interior, wiping towards the direction of the wood grain. Moderate – White Vinegar. Use a lint free cloth and dampen, wring out excess liquid, and wipe down the interior.
Why does my cedar chest stink?
Excessive moisture or humidity can make any piece of wood furniture smell foul after a while. Vacuum inside the chest, and wipe the inside and outside with a lint-free dust cloth. … A screened porch is perfect, as it helps keep the chest as clean as possible. The fresh air and daylight will help banish musty odor.
How long does cedar wood smell last?
Over time, aromatic cedar loses its aroma, but it can be restored by sanding away the top layer of the wood. Depending on the original strength of the scent in the wood (which varies), this may have to be done every three to seven years to refresh the wood’s insect-repelling aroma.
How can I make my house smell like cedar?
- Try a Planter Box. Instead of a terracotta or ceramic pot, seek out a small cedar planter box to use in your foyer, sunroom or breezeway. …
- Cedar Candles. Enjoy the subtle fragrance of a cedar forest wafting through your home with a cedar decorative candle. …
- Scent Diffusers. …
- Cedar Chests. …
- Outdoor Decor.
Do cedar blocks expire?
Renew the potency of your Cedar Blocks annually by gently sanding the surface with fine sandpaper – more frequently if the fragrance fades. They will last forever. Toss a few in any of our Garment Hanging Bags to keep out-of-season garments in good shape for next year.