British Columbia is where AbeBooks got its start, so we wanted to do something special for the province's 150th anniversary on August 1st 2008. In true AbeBooks fashion we have decided to reveal a list of the 10 most expensive and collectable books that we have ever sold about British Columbia.
The list is dominated by the early English and Spanish explorers whose names still mark the cities, rivers and islands found around the province, though it is the diary of Captain James Cook, who explored and charted much of the west coast, that can be found atop the list.
However you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to enjoy British Columbia. You can explore all of the art, culture and natural beauty of British Columbia in the pages of books, or you could come visit.
The ten most expensive books about British Columbia ever sold on AbeBooks.com:
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The Journals of Captain James Cook on His Voyages by Captain James Cook, edited by J.C. Beaglehole - $1,750
First edition of the 1955 printing of this collection of journal entries by Cook and his officers on Cook’s three voyages including exploration of the coast of British Columbia.
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The Art of Emily Carr by Doris Shadbolt - $1,500
Born in Victoria, Carr’s career was heavily influenced by the BC first nations. This book was one of only 250 copies and contained reproductions of Carr’s work. Copy was numbered, signed, and bound in leather.
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British Columbia Historical Quarterly by Various Authors - $1,351
Complete run of this important historical resource from 1937 to 1956. These quarterly reports include panoramic photos of major historical British Columbians including Emily Carr.
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Miscellanies by Barrington Daines - $1,250
A collection which includes a significant account of the Spanish voyage up North America’s Pacific coast by captain Don Francisco de la Bodega in 1775. The original manuscript was never released and was only published by Daines.
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The Art of Captain Cook's Voyages by Rüdiger Joppien and Bernard Smith - $1,221
A detailed visual account of each of Captain James Cook’s three voyages. These four volumes were published in 1985 and include the work of the professional artists who worked on each voyage.
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Spanish Explorations in the Strait of Juan de Fuca by Henry R. Wagner - $975
Accounts of the expeditions by Quimper (1790), Eliza (1791), and Galliano and Valdes (1792), all of whom explored the west coast of British Columbia before Captain Vancouver. Only 425 copies of this edition were ever printed and this particular book was a signed presentation copy.
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A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean by Captain George Vancouver - $850
This three volume set includes 7 engraved plates. This piece of historical significance details the explorations of the legendary Captain George Vancouver in his own words.
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The Wilderness of the North Pacific Coast Islands by Charles Sheldon - $750
Inscribed and signed by its author, this 1912 first edition gives the first hand experiences of a hunter on the wildlife and natural landscape of the larger islands of the British Columbian coast.
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