https://beehivebeehive.com Thu, 07 May 2026 02:30:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1 https://beehivebeehive.com/2025/04/17/1842-illustrated-my-bee-book-wm-cotton-1sted-boxed-apiary-bees-honey-hive-swarm/ https://beehivebeehive.com/2025/04/17/1842-illustrated-my-bee-book-wm-cotton-1sted-boxed-apiary-bees-honey-hive-swarm/#comments Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:38:53 +0000 https://beehivebeehive.com/2025/04/17/1842-illustrated-my-bee-book-wm-cotton-1sted-boxed-apiary-bees-honey-hive-swarm/ ... Read the full article]]>

























This is the illustrated 1842 first edition of MY BEE BOOK by William Charles Cotton. Uncommon first edition, in a customised box, of this 180 + year old touchstone for the apiarist. Cotton, since childhood, evinced a passionate interest in bees and beekeeping. My Bee Book suggested inter alia ways to render bees semiconscious, rather than killing them, to obtain honey. Both boards detached, although present. Lacks back-strip protecting (intact) spine. Octavo Hardback, around 4.5 inches by eight tall, retains its publisher’s original blind-stamped toffee-coloured cloth, decorated with bee motif and legend set within rules, all original gilt. Lacks (blank) upper part of first title [as photo, directly below]. First edition published by Rivington, London, in 1842. Free from permanent inscription and emendation to the text. Although interior condition is overall good, because this original letterpress book is nearly two centuries old, its text-block displays signs of use / age – like the usual age-toning to old paper – consistent with a printed object of this vintage. With the first edition’s irregular pagination as issued (and noted in Harding’s Bibliography of Bee Books): collates as lvi preliminary pages + 2 (unpaginated) leaves then? Pp 60-368 (includes index at rear with, as per Harding, pp 72-98 displaying duplicate page numbers on both left and right hand facing pages). Illustrated with numerous woodcuts, including illustrations thought to be by Whimper. To aid conservation and preservation, your book is supplied with an unsophisticated but serviceable custom-decorated box. While chaplain to New Zealand’s first bishop, he introduced beekeeping to its North Island. Your book, anywhere within the UK, is sent to you FREE.

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This is a rare and valuable manual for bee-keeping enthusiasts. It contains detailed information on bee-keeping, including topics such as honey production, hive maintenance, and orchard management. The book is beautifully illustrated, making it a fascinating read for those interested in the history of agriculture and apiology. The author, Pellett, was a renowned expert in bee-keeping and his knowledge and experience are evident throughout the book. It is a hardcover book published by Lippincott in 1923, and it is in excellent condition. This manual is a must-have for any serious bee-keeper or collector of agricultural literature.

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The Practical Bee Master. Antique Bee Keeping Book, 1780. The Book is in Very Good Condition with Consideration of Great Age. No Tilt to Spine. No Sunning or Colour Fade to Boards. No Major Foxing or Discolouration to Pages. Rubbing, Bumps, Curling, Peeling to Edges/Corners/Covers. True Antique with Attractive Half Leather Boards. Please see all images for further details. If you have any questions please ask and I will do my best to help…

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