55/295

This smoker is a set of bellows used for smoking bees. Smouldering sawdust or wood shavings were put inside and smoke was blown into a beehive with the aid of the bellows. The aim was to drive the bees out of the hive. This smoker belonged to the donor's father, who was a wheelwright and carpenter.

1 smoker: wood, leather, metal

MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – 'Bellows for smoking bees. Sulphur matches were put inside and smoke was blown with the aid of bellows into the hive to drive out the bees. Belonged to William James Brown, the donor's father. [pencil sketch], MERL Miscellaneous note – On a visit to the bee exhibition Michael Freedman pointed out that the bee smoker is a Bingham bee smoker (early 20th century) (Tracy F. Bingham of Farwell, Michigan improved and patented it in 1903). Instead of ‘Sulphur matches’, we should put ‘Smouldering sawdust or wood shavings’ were put inside and smoke was blown into a beehive with the bellows’ – apparently sulphur matches would have killed the bees which was not the aim!!

Wood, Metal, Leather