Vintage Cactus & Succulent Book Auction

The CSSA has received a remarkable collection of vintage cactus and succulent books

The Cactus & Succulent Society of America is excited to announce the acquisition of an incredible collection of vintage cactus and succulent books from the estate of Bill Baker, a long-time California grower and hybridizer who was a highly regarded individual among many of our members. This generous donation includes rare and valuable titles, and we’re thrilled to offer them to our members through a series of auctions on eBay.

The second auction began on Sunday, November 17th, and ended on Sunday, November 24th at 3pm (Pacific Time). This auction included these sought-after titles:

  • SOLDGasterias of South Africa: A New Revision of a Major Succulent Group by Ernst Van Jaarsveld
  • Bromeliaceae of Venezuela: Native and Cultivated by Francisco Oliva-Esteve and Julian A. Steyermark
  • SOLDCactus Lexicon by Curt Backeberg
  • SOLDLithops: Flowering Stones by Naureen A. Cole and Desmond T. Cole


The first auction began on Sunday, November 3rd, at 3 pm (Pacific Time), and auctioned these unique books:

  • SOLDCacti in Brazil by Konrad Herm, Andreas Hofacker, Werner van Heek, Graham Charles, Bernhard Bohle, Dr. Willi Strcker, and Gerhard Heimen
  • Bromeliaceae of Venezuela: Native and Cultivated by Oliva-Esteve, Francisco, and Julian A. Steyermark
  • SOLDBromeliads: A Descriptive Listing of the Various Genera and the Species Most Often Found in Cultivation by Victoria Padilla
  • SOLDVegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert, Volumes 1 and 2, by Forrest Shreve and Ira L. Wiggins

More books will be available on our eBay channel at this link during auctions. Don’t miss this opportunity to add rare and historic resources to your collection while supporting CSSA!