Books signed by Victoria up for sale

AN “incredibly scarce” set of children’s books signed by the future Queen Victoria when she was eight and given to guests invited to her birthday parties are up for sale.

The illustrated books were given to Master George Dent Pakenham along with other guests, who attended the young Queen’s eighth and ninth birthday parties at Kensington Palace in

1827 and 1828.

The books from the Palace’s children’s library were handed out at parties and will be sold at Forum Auctions, where they are expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.

Forum specialist Simon Luterbacher said: “Victoria’s signature is in itself common but these are amongst the earliest recorded and as such extremely rare.

“It also shows that she was not as closeted as one might have though and enjoyed the usual childish pleasures within perhaps a limited bubble of Kensington Palace.”

The first book titled

The Keepsake or Poems and Pictures, a collection of 20 pastoral poems on the subject of moral encouragement, was signed by eight-year-old Queen Victoria.

Originally printed in 1818 , it features the young monarch’s inscription – or simply “Victoria”.

A second book titled The Daisy or Cautionary Stories in Verse, a series of cautionary poems, warning children against falling down “dangerous wells”, by Elizabeth Turner, was printed in 1824.

The books will be offered in a sale of Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper at Forum auctions on Thursday.