Swedish Maritime Museum purchases parts of Vega expedition documents

Captain Louis Palander sailed from Scandinavia all the way to Japan in 1878–1880 on the Vega Expedition. The Swedish Maritime Museum, other institutions and Swedish private collectors have now purchased the "major part" of the Vega captain's private collection from the first voyage through the Northeast Passage, Stockholm Auctions reports.

The collection sold for just over 25 million kronor, and the Maritime Museum purchased items at auction for 3.5 million kronor, with support from the museum's friends association.

The Maritime Museum had held talks with the Royal Library, the Natural History Museum and the Ethnographic Museum to avoid bidding against each other.

“We would have liked to buy a lot more, but unfortunately the funds were not available,” says museum director Mats Djurberg.