Appraisal: Beekeeper's Box, ca. 1890
Clip: Season 28 | 2m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
Appraisal: Beekeeper's Box, ca. 1890
Watch Nick Dawes appraise a beekeeper's box, ca. 1890, in this Season 28 digital exclusive.
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Appraisal: Beekeeper's Box, ca. 1890
Clip: Season 28 | 2m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
Watch Nick Dawes appraise a beekeeper's box, ca. 1890, in this Season 28 digital exclusive.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipGUEST: When I was a young child, it was in my grandfather's possession.
He since has passed away.
I ended up with it.
I've just always thought it was...been told it was a beekeeper's box and it was used to track beehives or something like that to get bees to for their honey, I assume.
APPRAISER: Well it is, as you say, a beekeeper's box and it's really the first thing you need if you're a beekeeper of old.
Let's look at how it works.
GUEST: The top part here slides to reveal a compartment down below with a glass cover.
And then the cover does come off.
And then this part opens up to reveal a compass.
APPRAISER: This is not the work of a a journeyman farmer.
This is clearly the work of a very talented craftsperson.
You know the expression of beeline?
"Make a beeline."
GUEST: Mm-hmm APPRAISER: Bees are extraordinary creatures.
And among other things, they tend to fly in a straight line and they make a beeline for wherever they're going.
So this is designed to catch a bee and then use that bee to figure out where she lives.
So you catch a bee, which is not too difficult, and you put her in here.
She likes it in here because once you pull back the little compartment, inside there's a honeycomb that you have filled with something delicious for the bee.
Sugary pasty water or something like that.
So the bee will feed on that.
They'll like it.
And then when you release her, by opening the compartment, you watch her fly away.
And you line her up, you line up her beeline, with the compass.
And bees tend to go maybe a quarter mile, maybe half a mile, back to it.
So you've got some idea GUEST: Mm-hmm APPRAISER: Where that's located.
Now if you're lucky, she'll come back.
And if you're really lucky she'll bring her friends from the hive.
And you can watch them lining up.
Then off you go and you follow it.
You walk for a quarter mile and you keep going until you find a hive.
I think it's made of cherry and again, beautifully made with some contrasts and the color of the wood to make it more decorative.
I suspect the box dates to perhaps 1890 or 1900.
It's hard to put a value on this, something like this.
Bee boxes have appeared at auction over the years.
They're not unique.
Although this one of course is, being handmade.
I suspect if it came to auction, a fair estimate would be between $400 and $600.
Now having said that, could it sell for a 1,000 or more?
Yeah it could.
It's a great thing.
I I really thank you for bringing it GUEST: Well thank you.
APPRAISER: Sharing it with us today.
GUEST: I've enjoyed your uh knowledge.
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Now PlayingAppraisal: Beekeeper's Box, ca. 1890
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Clip: S28 | 2m 50s | Appraisal: Beekeeper's Box, ca. 1890 (2m 50s)
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Clip: S28 | 2m 32s | Appraisal: Appraisal: Duffner & Kimberly Water Hyacinth Shade, ca. 1906 (2m 32s)
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Hit the road in a classic car for a tour through Great Britain with two antiques experts.
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Funding for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is provided by Ancestry and American Cruise Lines. Additional funding is provided by public television viewers.