The five dolls Her Majesty played with as a child: Precious toys given to the Queen by a former royal nurse go up for auction
- Garments and toys were given to the former royal nurse Clara Knight
- Collection is being auctioned by Burstow & Hewett of East Sussex
- Royal family gave items to Ms Knight and collection has been in family 71 years
- Includes 20 garments and Mickey and Minnie Mouse soft toys
Five dolls the Queen played with as a child have emerged for sale in East Sussex alongside a selection of her infant clothes.
The garments and toys were given to the former royal nurse Clara Knight who looked after Queen Elizabeth in her early years while the Queen Mother was undertaking ceremonial duties.
As she had no children of her own, Ms Knight would send the dolls and clothes to her family at Christmas time. Ms Knight died in 1946 but her collection has remained in her family for the past 71 years.
The selection of toys includes three girl dolls and a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse made by the traditional British toy maker Dean's Rag Book Company.
Memories: The five dolls the Queen played with as a child, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse made by the traditional British toy maker Dean's Rag Book Company, are going up for sale
Memories of a royal childhood: Dolls the Queen's played with in the 1920s are still in amazingly good condition
The dolls arrived at the auctioneers amongst many other household items from an ordinary local house
The royal children's Mickey and Minnie Mouse dolls, which the Queen played with as a young girl
Clara Knight, the royal nurse who looked after the Queen in her early years, pictured with the then Princess Elizabeth
There are approximately 20 garments in the collection including infant dresses and matching undergarments, many in silks and linen and some in early man made fabrics.
They include a pink silk jacket which belonged to the Queen Mother and colourful 1920s playsuits and dresses worn by the Queen and Princess Margaret.
Two of the garments are labelled Smith and Co of Sloane St, while the rest have no label and are hand stitched.
Several photos accompany the collection including one of the Queen sat on Ms Knight's lap wearing a bonnet and one of these dresses.
Another photo shows Ms Knight in her nurse's uniform holding an angelic-looking Queen and smiling at her.
A dress belonging to the Queen given to the former royal nurse Clara Knight, who would send the items to her family at Christmas
Clara Knight's uniform forms part of the sale at Burstow & Hewett, of Battle, East Sussex
Garments given to the former royal nurse Clara Knight who looked after Queen Elizabeth in her early years. As she didn't have children of her own, she sent them to her family
Clara Knight died in 1946 but her collection has remained in her family for the past 71 years
Five of the Queen's dolls including Mickey and Minnie Mouse dolls made by the traditional British toy maker Dean's Rag Book Company form part of the sale.
They are all cloth bodied dolls of the 1920s period with original garments.
Ms Knight's nurse's uniform from 1910 is also included in the auction.
At one point, the collection was lent to the Bexhill Museum, in East Sussex, for an exhibition.
However, the dolls and garments have been boxed up and tucked away in a house for many years, prompting the family's decision to put the historic items on the market.
An original portrait of the Queen Mother, signed in ink 'Elizabeth 1922', also signed by the photographer Malcolm Arbuthnot, New Bond Street, given to the Royal Nanny Clara Allah Knight, in a glass frame
There are approximately 20 garments in the collection, which is tipped to sell for £1,500
Some of the royal baby clothes kept by their nanny Clara Knight will go up for auction in East Sussex
The collection of clothes is tipped to sell for £1,500, while the dolls are each valued at £300.
When the Queen Mother was away on ceremonial duties Ms Knight took primary responsibility for looking after the Queen.
Ms Knight's funeral was attended by the Queen Mother, the Queen and Princess Margaret.
Matt Ellin, specialist at Burstow & Hewett, of Battle, East Sussex, which is selling the collection, said: 'It appears she came to the royal family in 1926 when Elizabeth was born and spent many years looking after both the Queen and Princess Margaret.
Many of the dresses are in silks and linen with a handful in early man made fabrics
There are approximately 20 garments in the collection including infants dresses and matching undergarments
A picture of the Queen with her former nanny, wearing a dress that's now going up for auction
There are approximately 20 garments in the collection including infant dresses and matching undergarments, and a pink dress (right) the Queen is wearing in a picture taken with her former nurse
'The collection came to us in amongst many other household items from an ordinary local house.
'The owners thought the collection was interesting but were very unassuming about the content.
'Clara lived and worked extremely closely with the royal family and was given these clothes and dolls from time to time which she would then send to her family.
'It's a historic collection and we are expecting worldwide interest.'
The auction takes place tomorrow.
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