Cause A Frockus

History of Lane Furniture: 1930-1940

May 18, 2016 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

Welcome to our latest installment in the History of Lane Furniture: 1930-1940. When we last left you, Lane was busy bringing the cedar chest from the background to the spotlight. What did this next decade bring for this beloved company? What trends would Lane pioneer with their newly minted advertising team? How did Lane adapt to the start of a second world war? Join us and find out…

Following the success of the research and development work that championed their widely popular (and stunning!) walnut and mahogany cedar chests, Lane hired its first staff designer in the 1930s. The seeds of this decision would bloom during the mid-century, positioning Lane in a place of stability for that future shift in consumer taste. Next time you admire the clean lines of a 1950s Lane end table, thank that staff designer from the 1930s for doing such a great job!

Author’s note: Consider our past features on Lane’s history – are you sensing a theme? Creating a lasting foundation was definitely a strong suit for Edward Lane and his team. Think for a moment about how reactive today’s culture is when it comes to decision making. For many of us, if something doesn’t offer instant gratification it’s a non-starter. But here was a bold, confident business decision that took a full 20 years to mature. Talk about incredible foresight. As vintage lovers we’re programmed to appreciate the beauty of well-made, well-designed items. Ask yourself – if you knew something was going to take two decades to become well-made and well-designed, would you still be willing to start the project? What if there was an alternative that instantly offered a fraction of the quality that your twenty year investment would eventually grant you? Would your answer change?

Switching gears slightly, here’s an example of a well-made Lane piece I wish I could add to my collection. In the 1930s Lane debuted a pilot program called the “Girl Graduate Plan.” Intriguing name, no? So this program was inspired by a tradition started by the Lane factory workers. These workers began making miniature cedar chests for fun. These tiny treasures were very popular with the local girls who would store their jewelry and other possessions within its cedar walls.

One of the advertising guys caught wind of this hobby and an innovative idea was born. Upcoming high school graduates from the surrounding Altavista area were provided with a pamphlet about Lane. Within this packaging was a card. This little card was the ticket for a free miniature cedar chest! (Swoon) The girls were instructed to return this card to their local furniture store owner. Upon arriving, the gals would answer a few questions and the furniture owner would get to know this future homemaker and customer. During this era most girls were married within eighteen months of high school graduation (wow). As a result of this program, Lane was the first name that came to mind when they came back to furnish their new home. Edward Lane estimated that over five million of these tiny cedar chests were handed out nation-wide during the program’s history. How clever was this program from a brand-awareness perspective? Simply brilliant and why, even today, Lane holds a coveted spot in most of our hearts.

Despite the Great Depression’s grip on the country, Lane continued to innovate. On the heels of the aroma-tight cedar chests, Lane worked with the National Union Insurance Company to create a moth insurance policy. In order for customers to retain the guarantee of this policy, they were asked to return the card attached to the lid of every cedar chest. This card contained a variety of data points that allowed Lane to create a polling of customer trends and data. (Remember this is way before Survey Monkey!) One of the data points went on to define one of Lane’s most iconic advertising programs: the young love angle. One particular Lane dealer in Arizona started a local Valentine’s sale and it was the toast of a very tough sales year. The 1930s is when consumers first started to hear the phrase: “For your real-life romance a Lane cedar hope chest is the sweetest Valentine of all.”

Although these years were largely positive for Lane Furniture, it wasn’t all hearts and roses. After the Pear Harbor attack, Lane rallied as it had done more than a decade earlier. Government orders for plywood, plane parts, and wings were fulfilled. In contrast to the WWI years, when Lane focused solely on ammunition containers, Lane’s advanced manufacturing facilities allowed them to continue with cedar chest production (albeit on a reduced scale). During these years Lane started to receive letters from soldiers. What started as a trickle, soon became an outpouring. Soldiers wanted to give their sweethearts one of those Lane cedar chests they remembered from the papers. Lane started what they described as a “closed circuit network” for servicemen. This would allow Lane to work with the soldier and that hero’s local furniture store to make the arrangements so each lucky lady would receive her own Lane cedar chest, picked out by her special someone. During this difficult time, I can’t imagine the power this simple gift had on these women. After all, what do you keep in a hope chest? Your hopes – your love letters, special mementos – it’s a snap shot of your life. If I put myself in their shoes, I would also see my cedar chest as a way for me to stay connected to my sweetheart. Would I dream of him returning home, opening the lid, and sharing with him all the memories I was so excited to share with him? You betcha! I’m definitely going to think about Lane’s patriotism next time I enjoy my Lane collection, how about you?

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