I learned a new word…Debossing

Hi all! I'm hoping all of you are staying safe and sane in these crazy times... Just a quick note this time. Over the years, I have referred to the logos under the lids of the miniature Lane boxes as "brands" and this is, of course, not an entirely accurate description of the process.  Although …

Oldest Documented Box Follow-up

Hi all! I was the only bidder on the 1929 Tall Hasp box with Feet (THF) discussed in my last post and it has been added to the collection.  Unfortunately there isn't anything juicy to report about the box having inspected it carefully.  It's just like the other THF's I've seen. I thought I would …

Oldest documented box so far!

Hi all! This box is up for sale on e-bay right now... This is a standard Tall Hasp with Feet box.  However, found on the bottom is this... And also this label - which I've numbered as 2.1 on my website, http://www.lanecedarbox.com. I googled Burcie Rains and found she was born in 1910 and died …

Pricing Guide? Sales figures Dec 2019

Hi all! I visitor to my site recently asked me about the value of his box.  I referred him to this area of the site that talks about box valuation...https://www.lanecedarbox.com/copy-of-collectors-corner.   However, this got me thinking about perhaps providing a "Price Guide" on the site as a reference for the valuation of the Lane miniature boxes. …

Bottom Number Research Update

Hi all! If you would like to see more on the topic of bottom numbers, check out several posts from the past including 6/15/19 and 8/17/19. Since I last reported on my research, the number of boxes I have found with numbers stamped on their bottoms has increased to 47 - over double the number …

Black Lacquer Customization

Hi all! Last week I found a box on ebay that looked like it had a unique factory finish.  It didn't.  It was painted brown - inside and out.  The paint was thin so I stripped it off.  When a Lane box is stripped the redish color that is added to the lacquer in the …

Graduation Gift Box Insert

Hi all! Two posts in one day...it's been awhile since that has happened! On the e-bay today there is a box for sale with the original cardboard insert still enclosed... As you can see, this is a later-era Short box probably from the 1980's or later but this is just a guess.  I haven't seen …

Cool carved box for Megan

Hi all! Recently a box collector named John came across this box at a thrift store and luckily he found this blog and shared the find with me. We will probably never know who the artist/carver LJK? is but it's nice to know the box is in the hands of someone that will preserve and …

Website update

Hi all! Just a quick note about the website dedicated to our Lane boxes. Back about a year and a half ago - around June of 2018 - I launched http://www.lanecedarbox.com.  I had no idea how to make a website but with the help of a friend and wix.com, we put together a pretty nice …

Last off the line – Update

Hi all! My friend, Virginia from Virginia sent me this clipping today describing the closing of the miniature department at the Lane factory in Altavista, VA.  The article says Lane announced "On Friday" the department would be closing.  As we all know, May 26, 1999 was a Wednesday so the announcement likely was talking about …