Anyone recognise this hive?

[Newbeeneil]

My wife was just going through an old album of her mothers and saw this hive in one of the pictures. It probably belonged to her grandfather while he was bee breeding in 1930's France. It looks like it's made from straw.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Looks like a hive cosy

 

[Newbeeneil]

Looks like a hive cosy

Ah, good point, I never considered that!

 

[Poly Hive]

My immediate thought is that it's a temp cover for whatever is underneath.

PH

 

[Newbeeneil]

My immediate thought is that it's a temp cover for whatever is underneath.

PH

By the way it seems to overhang the landing board I think you may well be right.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Straw hive covers have been around for centuries, thee are many illustrations/photographs around of skeps being given a straw 'hat' during the winter for protection against the cold and rain.

 

[Poly Hive]

There may well be a tea pot under that cosy! LOL

PH

 

[Ian123]

There may well be a tea pot under that cosy! LOL

PH

Am guessing it’s not a flow hive, although a tea pot it may be more use

 

[Poly Hive]

Aye. The beginners I have had who all dewy eyed have told me that the flow hive was the obvious way to go. I said let's see..... and oddly it was never mentioned again.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Is that her mother’s grandfather?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Is that her mother’s grandfather?

Her grandfather not her mothers.

 

[Brenda]

Ah, good point, I never considered that!

Looks like it could be a Glen Hive, WBC is a smaller version, with its straw winter protective cover on.

 

[Poly Hive]

The Glen wasn't invented until the 1950s by Dr John Anderson at Craibstone. The Glen didn't stand on a stand they were on the ground. I bought two from a lovely guy who had 100 in his back garden at Dinnet (Royal Deeside) and sold his honey to Fortnums no less. Going by the stand I'd bet on WBC. Glens were considerably bigger, the ones I had took 24 brood combs!


Dave Cushman has them as being 15 combs but the reality is they were modded to suit the beekeeper who made them. Some big and some bloody massive.

This is from Peggy Logans book and is the front piece but the book is dated 48 so I am out on my date for the Glen so it must have been the 30's and thinking on it one of the Glens I bought was built in 41, it was marked so.

PH

 

[bobba]

To me it looks like a hive cozy. It looks like it has been intentionally positioned to reduce the entrance too.

The bit I am not sure about it at the top on the front. It almost looks like there is a flap to lift and access a top entrance.

There is some nice chunky timber in the legs though.

 

[bobba]

Another thought - could it have been taken on one of those old cameras that you had to stand still for?

Maybe someone with knowledge of camera history would know by the date?

If so there may have been bees going in and out that we cannot see.

 

[Brenda]

The Glen wasn't invented until the 1950s by Dr John Anderson at Craibstone. The Glen didn't stand on a stand they were on the ground. I bought two from a lovely guy who had 100 in his back garden at Dinnet (Royal Deeside) and sold his honey to Fortnums no less. Going by the stand I'd bet on WBC. Glens were considerably bigger, the ones I had took 24 brood combs!


Dave Cushman has them as being 15 combs but the reality is they were modded to suit the beekeeper who made them. Some big and some bloody massive.

This is from Peggy Logans book and is the front piece but the book is dated 48 so I am out on my date for the Glen so it must have been the 30's and thinking on it one of the Glens I bought was built in 41, it was marked so.

PH

My Glen looked like the one in Peggy Logan’s photo and it was on a stand, taking 15 Frames. It was made way before 1950’s so that is wrong, probably more 20’s/30’s like. Gentleman who gave me hive said he used to take it up to Heather, imagine the weight of such a transportation!

 

[Poly Hive]

I don't need to imagine it as I bought another monster which was sitting by some OSR, it was completely stuffed with wild comb honey and the thing weighed a good three hundredweight. A genuine back beaker. Yes I am out with the dates as The SBA Anderson award started either in the WW2 or very shortly after so I would thing the 30's was the date range or so.

PH

 

[Amari]

I don't need to imagine it as I bought another monster which was sitting by some OSR, it was completely stuffed with wild comb honey and the thing weighed a good three hundredweight. A genuine back beaker. Yes I am out with the dates as The SBA Anderson award started either in the WW2 or very shortly after so I would thing the 30's was the date range or so.
PH

Ah, post Brexit we are gradually reverting to Imperial weights and measures.....

 

[bingevader]

The three little pigs comes to mind for some reason. But I don't think they were into beekeeping. And if their attempts at a straw house are anything to go by, then their hives won't have been much good either. Maybe that's why we don't see them around much any more. Poor design and poor business plan! Well insulated, but poor wolf resistance.

 

[Murox]

I don't need to imagine it as I bought another monster which was sitting by some OSR, it was completely stuffed with wild comb honey and the thing weighed a good three hundredweight. A genuine back beaker. Yes I am out with the dates as The SBA Anderson award started either in the WW2 or very shortly after so I would thing the 30's was the date range or so. PH

Thats more than 152 kilos !!

Ah, post Brexit we are gradually reverting to Imperial weights and measures.....

You must however remember that Jacob Rees-Mogg ordered staff to use imperial measures.