On 24th September 2025, it was announced that a ‘galloping gig’, believed to have belonged to Queen Victoria and used by her grandchildren/ great-grandchildren will soon be going up for auction.
However, this isn’t the first time I have heard about this historical object, which has spent years in the private collection at The Grange, a Private residence in Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
A few months ago someone reached out to me, asking if I knew anything about a “small children’s carriage”, which was thought to have been used by the royal family at Queen Victoria’s Isle of Wight home, Osborne House. Unfortunately, with little information to go by, besides a photograph of Prince Edward (later King Edward VIII) and Prince Albert (later King George VI) with a similar object at Park Cottage (now Frogmore Cottage) in the late 1890s, I was unable to find any further information on this mysterious piece. Naturally, my communication with the owner came to an end but I’ve always remained curious on whether the story of the carriage was unveiled. So, you can imagine my excitement when I saw this precious artefact featured in multiple news articles.
Measuring 110cm in length and 94.2cm in height, the pushchair has been designed to resemble a single-person horse-drawn carriage. Having been beautifully preserved, the wicker chair sits behind ‘a pair of dappled grey horses which move up and down when the gig is pushed’. There are also reins for the child to hold as if they themselves are driving the carriage.
This marvellous piece of history is believed to have been made by north-London brothers, George and Joseph Lines, who began manufacturing toys, primarily rocking horses, dollhouses and mechanics, in 1876, and started trading in 1880 until 1931.
The gig goes up for auction on 23rd October 2025 and is expected to sell for between £1,200 – £1,800 in Woolley and Wallis’s Furniture, Works of Art and Clocks sale.
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© Queen.Victoria.Roses 2025
That item should be in a museum. Maybe the Duchess of York may bid on it. That bothers me that such historic items not owned by the Royals, are put up for auction. If I owned it, I would GIVE it to the Royal Family.
I completely agree. It’s been well advertised so I’m hoping English Heritage buys it for the collection at Osborne
🙏🤞🏼