British Columbia

Large collection of rare B.C. history books up for sale

Thousands of rare books about B.C.'s history will be on sale today and Saturday at the Westbank Museum in West Kelowna.

Thousands of books, mostly about Okanagan and B.C. First Nations will be on sale this weekend

Two of the books that will be on sale at the Westbank Museum in West Kelowna. (Alya Ramadan/CBC)

Thousands of rare books about B.C.'s history will be on sale today and Saturday at the Westbank Museum in West Kelowna. 

The books are part of what collector David Ellis claims is the world's largest collection of out-of-print B.C. history books.

Book salesman and collector David Ellis says he has the word's largest collection of rare and out-of-print B.C. history books. (Alya Ramadan/CBC)

"I keep them in my storage in Vancouver and come up here twice a year and flog them to you guys," said Ellis, a longtime book collector and seller. 

His father began collecting the books over 45 years ago and Ellis now has roughly 80,000 books on B.C. and First Nations histories. 

"My main customers now are the First Nations they want these books to know who their neighbours were for specific claims and proof of claims," Ellis said. 

The book sale will be on from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT. at the Westbank Museum in West Kelowna, B.C.

With files from the CBC's Daybreak South and Alya Ramadan. 


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