Queen Victoria's Christmas tree decorations could be yours for £1,500
Christmas tree decorations that belonged to Queen Victoria are being sold at auction for £1,500.
Two of the monarch’s ornaments – a small doll inside a woven crib and a wax doll which is missing one leg – were used by the current owner to decorate his own tree.
Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, is generally credited with introducing the Christmas tree into England in 1840.
In later years the Queen was well known for giving her guests small gifts from her tree during the festive season.
The two decorations up for auction were given to Elsie Young, the second cousin of Marchioness Isabella Whichcote, who was the daughter of Sir Thomas Whichcote, 7th Baronet.
Lady Whichcote moved in royal circles and had a grace and favour apartment in Hampton Court, where Young was invited to a Christmas banquet and was given the ornaments.
They now belong to art and royal historian Daniel Hadden, who lives near Wivelsfield Green, East Sussex.
He would decorate his own Christmas tree with the historic ornaments but has decided the time has come to part with them.
Mr Hadden said: “I love Christmas, especially early Christmas decorations, the older the better. I am interested in royal history and have handled quite a few important royal artefacts over the years.
He added that Young “treasured” the objects all her life and “thought them so important she left them to her servant, Rosie Ellison”.
The historian then purchased them from the descendants of Ms Ellison, who likely inherited them when Young died in 1959.
“My research took me to Miss Young’s former home, Skinners at Wivelsfield Green, an impressive large timber framed Grade II listed house. I even went to St Peter and St John the Baptist Church in Wivelsfield to look for Miss Young’s grave but only found her sister’s,” Mr Hadden said.
“I imagine Miss Young would have been an awestruck teenager when she was given Queen Victoria’s Christmas tree decorations in the late 1800s.
“She was fortunate enough to move in royal circles and would have been 16 in 1900. By that time, Queen Victoria was close to the end of her life,” he added.
On his decision to sell the decorations, he said: “With Christmas fast approaching I decided it was time to let someone else enjoy these royal festive mementos.
“Someone else can have the pleasure of owning something that belonged to one of Britain’s most famous monarchs, and use them to decorate their tree.”
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers of Etwall, Derbyshire, said: “For any Christmas traditionalist and royalist, this has to be the ultimate festive bauble.
“Very few people in the world can say they have Queen Victoria’s decorations hanging from their Christmas tree.
“These items are historically important. As well as being early festive decorations they remind us that Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert helped to make Christmas what it is today.”
The sale will be held on Dec 7.
