Fancy a cuddle? Horrific toys and dolls once beloved by Queen Mary are up for auction but could be too scary to handle

Australia
By William

Gruesome toys, dolls and teddy bears loved by Queen Mary have been put up for auction.

The coveted set of hand-carved Forest Toys, a beloved brand of Queen Mary, wife of George V, is expected to sell for £200,000.

They may not have wide appeal, however, as some seem much scarier than the toys most kids will be begging their parents for this Christmas.

The lot includes a ventriloquist dummy, similar to a prop from a horror film, which was specially made for a 1978 advert for Sekonda starring Ronnie Barker and is expected to fetch £800.

There are also two sets of professional Punch and Judy dolls from the late 19th century, which belonged to Vic Taylor, the son of a traveling magician, in the early 20th century, and which display some disturbing facial expressions. expected go for a combined £3,500.

Gruesome toys loved by Queen Mary have been put up for auction. Pictured: A ventriloquist dummy, similar to a horror movie prop, included in the set

Gruesome toys loved by Queen Mary have been put up for auction. Pictured: A ventriloquist dummy, similar to a horror movie prop, included in the set

The lot includes two sets of professional Punch and Judy dolls from the late 19th century, which belonged to Vic Taylor, the son of a traveling magician, in the early 20th century.

The lot includes two sets of professional Punch and Judy dolls from the late 19th century, which belonged to Vic Taylor, the son of a traveling magician, in the early 20th century.

This statue of a man riding a toy camel is expected to sell for £300 at auction alone

This statue of a man riding a toy camel is expected to sell for £300 at auction alone

The auction, consisting of more than 1,000 lots, also includes a group of ten World War I teddy bears, made as good luck charms and often carried in their pockets by Tommies. They could raise £400 each.

A possibly unique John Dennison of Leeds' 1890s clockwork penny in a slot machine, initially located in Blackpool Tower, is estimated at £3,000, while a Queen Mary doll's house is estimated at £300.

Meanwhile, the ventriloquist dummy in a gold dress and black fishnet stockings was sold to the vendor by Paul Baker, whose father had worked with Sekonda and was given the prop when filming finished.

Queen Mary picked up a Forest Toys brand Noah's Ark set during a visit to the British Industries Fair in 1926.

She was so impressed with it that she ordered 24 sets from their factory in Brockenhurst, New Forest, Hampshire.

This caused a worldwide rise in the toy's popularity and a clever factory worker saved a set, along with an archive of newspaper clippings.

A version of the Noah's Ark set, which has been passed down through generations, is now set to fetch £7,000 at Special Auction Services in Newbury, Berkshire.

This ventriloquist dummy, which was specially made for a 1978 advert for Sekonda starring Ronnie Barker, is expected to sell for £800.

This ventriloquist dummy, which was specially made for a 1978 advert for Sekonda starring Ronnie Barker, is expected to sell for £800.

It was sold to the seller by Paul Baker, whose father had worked with Sekonda and was given the prop when filming concluded.

It was sold to the seller by Paul Baker, whose father had worked with Sekonda and was given the prop when filming concluded.

This collie dog toy is expected to retail for £120

This farm horse figure is expected to sell for £150

These two figures of a collie dog and a farm horse are expected to fetch more than £100 each

This red deer and doe set is expected to sell for £400

This figure of a girl with a bucket and a goose is expected to sell for £200

A figure of a farm girl with bucket and goose (right) is expected to sell for £200, while the red deer and doe set (left) is expected to sell for as much as £400.

This Indian elephant bull figure is expected to sell for £400

This giraffe figure is also expected to sell for £400

These elephant and giraffe figures are expected to fetch £400 each

The auction includes these rare novelty chocolates from Stollwerck Bros from the early 20th century, with a train carriage and a violin and bow

The auction includes these rare novelty chocolates from Stollwerck Bros from the early 20th century, with a train carriage and a violin and bow

A press book archive from the Forest Toys company, which started in 1931, is expected to fetch £1,500.

This press book archive from the Forest Toys company, dating from 1931, containing original photographs of their 1922 models, a Circus-supplied HM the Queen and many other product photographs, is expected to sell for £1,500.

A spokesperson for Special Auction Services said: 'After Queen Mary ordered two dozen of Noah's Ark sets, the toys grew in popularity locally, nationally and internationally, with the factory receiving visitors from all over the world.

'They are carved from pine wood imported from North America via the Port of Southampton and are made to scale to reflect the true proportions of the people and animals being created.'

Daniel Agnew, teddy bear and doll specialist at Special Auction Services, added: 'This auction is full of the most amazing toys, dolls and teddy bears from the past 200 years, when items were made to last and beautifully crafted, it is a nostalgic look into the past as people prepare for the Christmas season.'

The sale will take place on December 6.

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