Victoria and Brown

Charles Burton Barber's oil painting of Queen Victoria and her servant and "friend" John Brown comes up for grabs at Lyon and Turnbull's Edinburgh auction of The Forbes Collection at Old Battersea House on 1 November (CLICK). The painting is expected to fetch up to £30,000 (title link). It wouldn't surprise me if makes more than that. It's a fine work by the Queen's favourite artist and the movie Mrs Brown (1997), starring Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, must stir additional interest. This is a most desirable item for collectors of Victoriana.