I've had a good handful of homemade bee boxes pass through my hands, but this one I believe is my favorite, and definitely the most elaborate and finely crafted, with four chambers, sliding dividers between them, peep hole windows, and turning locks to hold parts in place however they are positioned. One of the great beauties and delights of bee boxes is that one almost never finds the same construction twice--nearly all, it seems, represent an individual maker's solution to the problem/s at hand, of capturing, transporting, and releasing bees, and introducing and integrating a queen into a hive. This one unfolds--reveals itself--over the course of a sequence of moves--opening the "front doors," then pulling up a central divider, then sliding open two more compartments behind. Photos follow the sequence pretty much as it goes, like a magical puzzle box with a purpose. Really a fantastic example, I would guess early 20th c, without a single loss or issue, and a great patina to boot.
Closed: 8 9/16" l x 4 1/4" t x 2 13/16". Excellent presumed antique condition.
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