Queen cage history

[Kurt Bower]

OK, I havent seen this discussed yet so here goes.
On Ebay, currently there are "2 antique queen bee shipper crates" for sale. http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Antique-Apiary...QQcmdZViewItem
While I am not a bee history buff, I do not believe that these cages are from circa 1898.
Placing a stamp on a cage does not make it so.
I also do not believe that staples would have been used to hold screen wire in place pre-1900. The history alone on the stapler makes it questionable at best.

The wood on these cages hasnt even darkened in the last 100 years. All wood changes color given time.

I just dont buy it, but am willing to be proven wrong.
Anybody??????

Kurt Bower

[sqkcrk]

Looks bogus to me. But people who don't know will buy anything. The seller doesn't know what he has. Just read the discription of the item. I wanted to ask the seller a question but I didn't want to join e-bay.

[tarheit]

Looks bogus, but could be possible. The 3 hole cage (also called the Benton cage) was invented by Frank Benton who worked for the USDA and lived from 1852 to 1919. (Source: the ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture)

However, why is the one stamp not damaged if that really is water damage discoloring the one trap. If they actually shipped just the cage where is the address. And the screen really looks identical to the screen you get with new cages from kelly, coated black and all.

If anyone wants one I've got a whole box and somewhere around here I've got my old stamp collection so I can throw and old stamp on it as well. You can have them for half price [img]smile.gif[/img]

-Tim

[Kris^]

I suspect this is a fraud. The same seller was selling similar queen cages a month ago as antique mailing packages with a one cent stamp attached, saying the stamp proved they "gotta be old!" But the stamp on those cages was one that was originally issued in the late 70s. They sold for $34.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7594785189

Anyone wanna buy a bridge?

[naturebee]

Well, they do look remarkably these old buggers.
And they did ship them back then less the envelope and with a stamp on the box.
http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/history2.htm

Shipping queens began around 1870-1880 I believe, so it is plausible that these are from the era. The stamp lends to it's authenticity, but as always when buying anything, itÂ’s Caveat Emptor.

[sqkcrk]

I was out in a beeyard with a friend of mine one time. He was having skunk problems in that yard. He went back to the truck and came back with an egg and a small container of arsenic. The arsenic container had and address label and two stamps on it. Back in the '60s, I think, or '50s you could ship arsenic through the mail with just an address and a stamp. Amazing. Somehow I don't think that that would fly today.

[FordGuy]

that is a complete and total rip off. I got queens shipped to me like that two years ago! I still got the identical queen cages in a wooden tool box out inj my bee yard....It is a shame there are so many frauds in the world.

[Ishi]

I E-mailed him and ask;

what the postmark on the stamp was and if the queen candy was soft?