Lane Burl Chest Table

LANE OF ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA BURL-VENEER LIFT-TOP CHEST ON STAND, STAMPED "Lane / ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA / STYLE NO. 6622 22" A lift-top storage chest on its own fluted-leg stand, veneered on all four sides in richly figured burl walnut or burl-pattern veneer with a molded lip top and base, brass ring pull mounts at the sides, a pierced brass keyhole escutcheon at the front, and cast brass barrel hinges at the back. The lid opens on a metal stay arm to a plain mahogany-finished interior - not cedar-lined. The underside of the base is stamped "Lane / ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA" with "STYLE NO. 6622 22" and "SERIAL NO. 2 18 1611." The four square legs are fluted on the outer faces and fitted with metal glides. Flaws include finish loss, dark rubbing, and chipping at the leg bottoms where the black finish has worn to bare wood, scattered scratches and rubs across the top and lip moldings, tarnish and dark residue around the hinges, a visible seam and slight lifting along veneer edges in places, dust and small debris inside, marks and light staining on the interior floor, and no key is present for the lock. UNTESTED - the lock has not been operated, the lid stay and hinges have not been worked repeatedly, and the joints have not been stress-checked. Sold as one chest on stand. Description Form: rectangular lift-top chest on an attached four-leg stand, molded top and base lip, fluted square legs with metal glides Veneer and hardware: figured burl-pattern veneer on all sides, brass ring pulls, pierced brass escutcheon, brass barrel hinges, metal lid stay Interior: plain mahogany-finished wood, open with no tray or divider, not cedar-lined Marks: underside stamped "Lane / ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA," "STYLE NO. 6622 22," and "SERIAL NO. 2 18 1611" Size: the interior measures approximately 16 in long and 10 in wide with roughly 14 in of interior depth, and the base measures approximately 13 in across, per the tape-measure photographs; overall height is estimated at approximately 22 in. Attribution note The Lane Company began in 1912 when John Edward Lane bought a bankrupt packing-box plant in Altavista, Virginia, at auction for five hundred dollars and put his twenty-one-year-old son Edward Hudson Lane in charge, incorporating it as the Standard Red Cedar Chest Company, according to the Home Furnishings Hall of Fame and archival records of the Lane Company held in the ArchiveGrid listing; the town of Altavista was incorporated the same year. Lane became a household name for cedar hope chests and later expanded into tables, cabinets, and case goods, with cedar chest production continuing in Altavista until 2001 per Hunker. Lane stamped both a style number and a serial number on the underside of its pieces, and the serial number is conventionally read backwards in pairs to give the production date, with an extra digit indicating the plant, as Lane's own guidance and numerous dealer references including 1stDibs describe. The serial number on this piece does not resolve cleanly into a date from the photographs, so no production date is claimed here and it should be checked in hand or against Lane's records. The burl-veneer decoration, brass ring pulls, and fluted Chippendale-style legs place it in Lane's traditional case-goods lines rather than its cedar chest line, and the plain uncedared interior supports that. All maker, period, and dating comments are offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and are not guaranteed. Bid on the item(s) as pictured. Notes for bidders Lift and carry it by the base frame rather than the lid or the top edge, since a lift-top chest carried by its lid puts all the weight on the hinge screws. Keep it out of direct sun and away from heat vents, as dry heat and sunlight lift old veneer edges and fade burl figure. Skip silicone spray polishes and never use water on the veneer; a light paste wax once a year is enough. If a veneer edge lifts, have it glued and clamped by a finisher rather than pressing it down with household glue. A missing key is easy to live with - leave the lock unlatched rather than forcing it, since old chest locks jam and are awkward to open without the right key. Only the item(s) pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms.