The Antiques Lover’s Guide to Everything Beekeeping

In the 1800s, bee colonies were considered such an integral part of some rural British and New England families that they were formally kept abreast of births, marriages, and, most notably, funerals. Immortalized in John Greenleaf Whittier’s 1858 poem “Telling the Bees,” the latter custom included sharing the news with each hive and shrouding it in black fabric so the insects could partake in the mourning. Thought to embody the close relationship between beekeepers and their bees, many feared grave consequences for the colony if the ritual was not properly enacted.

Invented by New Yorker Moses Quinby in 1873, the bee smoker is a crucial tool in hive maintenance. (The fog produced by gently pressing on the tool’s back bellow subdues the insects by masking their alarm pheromones, which keeps them from stinging.) While many are unmarked, some noted brands to look for include The A.I. Root Company and Dadant & Sons (bottom left).

What It’s Worth:
Bee smokers from the early 1900s might sell for as much as $200 to $300, but most vintage smokers fall in the $20 to $80 range, depending on rust levels, size, and bellow condition. Pieces with their protective wire cages still intact (top center) fetch on the higher end, as do smokers with longer goosenecks (not pictured) and those made from copper instead of steel.

Beekeeping protective gear has taken on many iterations over the centuries. In medieval times, keepers donned hooded masks made of wicker, but these eventually morphed into hats veiled with breathable mesh. It wasn’t until the 1960s, however, that—after getting stung on the neck—English lingerie scion and avid beekeeper Brian Sherriff developed a game-changing alternative. His no-hat-needed garment, which included a mesh head covering directly attached to the suit via corset boning, offered seamless full-body protection and has since become industry standard.

As honey production increased in both the U.S. and Canada around the turn of the 20th century, tins largely replaced stoneware crocks as distribution vessels because they cost less and allowed for more eye-catching graphics. Tins produced between 1890 and 1950 (shown here) have become an object of desire for collectors.

What It’s Worth:
Tins are primarily popular as collectibles because of their graphics. Those produced between 1890 and 1950 generally range in value from $30 to $150 based on condition, label vibrancy, and brand rarity. (However, recently a 1930s tin with with bears across the front in great condition sold for $350!) Larger pails that still have their handles tend to command higher prices, as do tins with lid debossments identifying the honey’s apiary of origin. As well, paper-labeled tins are rarer than their lithographed counterparts and thus worth more.

As the pottery industry expanded alongside Victorian-era notions of at-home entertaining, ceramic honeypots were introduced as a decorative way to serve honey at mealtimes. Produced en masse well into the 1900s by brands such as Belleek, Goebel, and Crown Devon (top), the vintage pots most prized by collectors today feature skep shapes and motifs of bees and honeycomb.

What It’s Worth:
Many ceramic and glass honey pots available have been made within the last 30 years and can be found for $20 to $100. Prior to that, porcelain and glass pots as well as silver and pewter pots were more common in Victorian table settings. Those can sell for $150 to $450.

Train Your Eye:
On lids topped with bees, look closely for chips in the wings, which can lower the overall value.

The egg-laying queen bee produces the thousands of worker bees responsible for hive growth. Though she can be transported in a variety of larger bee carriers—the extra room allows for additional worker bees to join the journey—she is usually introduced to a colony via a smaller cage (bottom left) placed directly inside the hive. (The open grates allow her to spread her eggs and pheromones while the colony adjusts to her presence.)

What It’s Worth:
Carriers from the early 1900s are prized for their unique shapes and primitive aesthetics and can cost between $50 and $200.

Skeps: Canvas & Cargo, Legacy Vintage Building Materials & Antiques

Books: Patrick’s Rare Books, Tamila Morgan, Honey Bee Mill Books, White Owl Books & Import, VintageLove579, Rare Books, Opal Stackhouse, NACI, Kennebec Trading

Smokers: Artizmo Eclectic, Old Fangled Finds, Gazaboo, NotWithoutVintage, The Junkies Shop, Lesa Jo’s Antiques & Collectibles, Yesterdeals

Langstroth Hive:Decorative Antiques by Hamish Webster

Bee carriers: Primitive Addiction KR, WyrembelskisVintage, Piccadilly Prairie

Honeypots: Sparrow’s Nest

Honey Tins: Tim Denton at Waterford Antique Market