Stockholms Auktionsverk presents The Vega Collection – a polar expedition that made world history

“We are very proud to present The Vega Collection. For us, auctions are not only about sales, but also about bringing history to light and making cultural heritage accessible. Showcasing collections of this calibre is a central part of Stockholms Auktionsverk’s mission as a knowledge-driven institution,” says Karl-Magnus Törnros, Chief Specialist at Stockholms Auktionsverk.

The collection has been preserved within Captain Louis Palander's family for more than a century and includes diaries, logbooks, photographs, nautical charts, and a unique archive of correspondence. Together, these materials offer a rare and intimate insight into the expedition that placed Sweden firmly on the global map of exploration.

“This is not only an extraordinary collection, but a piece of world history. The Vega Expedition was one of the great technological and logistical triumphs of its time, and Palander was the man who quite literally navigated the expedition to success,” says Harald Hultqvist, specialist in antiquarian books and affiliated with Stockholms Auktionsverk.

Upon its return, the expedition was celebrated internationally. The journey home through Europe became a triumphal procession, with receptions in London, Paris, and Rome, where Palander and Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld were honoured by royalty and leading scientists.

“The reception at the time can almost be compared to the celebrations of astronauts after the moon landing – and yet the memory has faded,” says Harald Hultqvist.

The Vega Expedition was the first to open the northern sea route between Europe and Asia – a trade route that today is once again the focus of intense geopolitical competition in an Arctic shaped by climate change, strategic resource interests, and great-power ambitions.

“The Vega Expedition was a pioneering achievement that reshaped the world map – and today it reminds us how strategically and economically important the Arctic has been for centuries. Vega demonstrated what was possible. The subsequent exploitation of the polar regions, however, has been far from unproblematic,” says Harald Hultqvist.

Despite its large historical significance, the expedition’s legacy has faded. Unlike many other polar missions, the Vega Expedition was marked by success rather than catastrophe – and perhaps that is why it has not claimed the place in collective memory that it deserves.

“To become famous as a polar explorer, it seems you are expected to die in the ice. We are sometimes strangely poor at cherishing our successes in Sweden. The Vega Expedition was a textbook example of Swedish leadership, planning, and courage – yet today it is almost forgotten. This collection gives us the opportunity to write it back into history,” says Harald Hultqvist.

The Vega Collection will be on public view from February 25 to March 9 at Stockholms Auktionsverk, Nybrogatan 32, Stockholm, and will conclude with a live auction on March 10.