Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

BOILER, BEEKEEPING

Date Range From

1910

Date Range To

1942

Materials

COPPER

No. Pieces

1

Height

34.5

Diameter

25.5

Description

CURLING ROCK SHAPED BOILER WITH TWO COPPER TUBE HANDLES. CYLINDRICAL CONDENSER ATTACHMENT EXTENDS VIA TUBING FROM STILL, FEATURING GLD EMBOSSED LABEL, “SIEBEL’S ALCOHOL DETERMINATOR SIEBEL’S INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY”.

Subjects

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY T&E

Historical Association

AGRICULTURE

History

THIS HANDMADE BOILER WAS MADE FOR USE IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN UNCAPPING KNIFE BY AN UNKNOWN BEEKEEPER. BEEKEEPERS USED SPECIALIZED, HEATED KNIVES SUCH AS P20060005003 TO MANUALLY REMOVE “CAPPINGS” FROM FRAMES WITHIN A BEE HIVE. CAPPINGS ARE THIN WAX SEALS WHICH THE BEES CREATE TO SEAL THEIR HONEY IN INDIVIDUAL STORAGE CELLS. THE UNCAPPING OPERATION IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE HONEY EXTRACTION PROCESS AND IS CARRIED OUT WITH GREATER EASE WITH A HEATED KNIFE. TODAY, BEEKEEPERS HAVE THE OPTION OF USING ELECTRIC KNIVES AS A SOURCE OF CONTINUOUS HEAT, BUT IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, A SMALL BOILER AND CONDENSER, SUCH AS THIS ONE WERE USED FOR THE JOB. STEAM FROM THE BOILER WAS CHANNELED THROUGH A TUBE AND INTO THE KNIFE, HEATING THE KNIFE AS IT ENTERED AND EXITED. THIS KNIFE AND BOILER WERE LOCATED BY DONOR EMANUEL COHEN IN A LINE RIDERS’ SHACK DEEP IN THE LITTLE BOW RIVER VALLEY APPROXIMATELY TWENTY MILES EAST OF CARMANGAY. COHEN LOCATED THE ITEMS IN THE SHACK'S CRAWL SPACE VIA A SMALL HIDDEN TRAP DOOR. THE SHACK WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS PART OF THE HISTORIC “O” CIRCLE RANCH. COHEN’S FATHER HYMAN COHEN BOUGHT SIXTEEN SECTIONS OF THE FORMER RANCH’S GRAZING LAND FROM THE ESTATE OF NELS SOKVITNEY IN 1941/42. TODAY, THE SITE OF THE SHACK IS UNDERWATER, LOCATED AT THE FOOT OF AN IRRIGATION DAM EAST OF LITTLE BOW PROVINCIAL PARK. OVER THE YEARS, COHEN TREATED THE OBJECTS AS THOUGH THEY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH AN ILLEGAL BOOTLEGGING/ MOONSHINE RELEVANCE, “SQUIRRELLING THE STILL AWAY SO IT WOULD NOT BE SEEN BY OTHER FOLKS”. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DONOR AND ITEM, SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20060005002

Acquisition Date

2006-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail