Queen Victoria's gifts to servant up for grabs

London, June 6 (ANI): Queen Victoria's gifts to her faithful servant and alleged lover John Brown are set to go on sale in Edinburgh this August.

A Scottish collector in the 1960s bought eight items from Brown's descendants and now they'll go up for auction at Bonham's auctioneers Scottish sale this August.

The items include a teapot engraved 'from Victoria R/Christmas 1876' and monogrammed 'JB' and a claret jug engraved 'VR to JB' in 1872, reports the Scotsman.

The sale also includes a painted porcelain plaque of one her favourite dogs, Fern, presented to Brown, and Brown's own toilet service.

Most mysteriously, there is a locket dated the day of his death, with a portrait of Brown and what is said to be a lock of his hair, inscribed 'Dear John/27 March 1883' and on the reverse "From VRI".

One of the gold memorial stickpins that Queen Victoria designed for her servants to wear on the anniversary of his death is expected to fetch about 1,500 pounds while the teapot is expected to fetch up to 7,000 pounds. (ANI)