Queen Victoria's Kacheray?

Barbara Rusch is the proud owner of one of Victoria's secrets – Queen Victoria, that is.

The Toronto commercial property manager yesterday bought a pair of the legendary British monarch's bloomers – with a 50-inch waist – for the royal sum of about $9,000 at an auction in Derby, England.

The handmade knickers, dating back to the 1890s, are open-crotch style, with separate legs joined by a drawstring at the waist – popular in the late Victorian era.

"This is a wonderful, wonderful find for me today and a great acquisition, a great treasure to add to my collection," Rusch said in Toronto.

The bloomers belonged to a family in western England whose ancestor was a lady-in-waiting for the queen.

"These pants, considering their provenance and pedigree, are very exciting," auctioneer Charles Hanson said in Derby.

"They are monogrammed (V.R. for Victoria Regina) and crested and we know that they are hers."

Rusch, bidding by telephone, also paid about $8,000 for a Queen Victoria chemise with a 66-inch bust.

Before the auction, Hanson valued the underwear at $1,000, while the chemise and a nightgown were valued at $600 each. The nightgown sold for $11,000.

"Those items are representative of the clothing women wore in that time and they are also indicative of Queen Victoria's stature," said Rusch, pointing out the queen stood less than 5 feet tall.

At her death, Queen Victoria's huge wardrobe, including her underwear, was distributed to members of the royal household. These personal garments are now found in both private and public collections.

Rusch, 59, owns other items that belonged to Victoria, including a bracelet made of her daughter's hair, a pair of pink, hand-embroidered silk stockings and a 60 cm-by-60 cm swatch from a dress made of pearl-coloured silk with magnificent beadings.

Rusch, a collector for about 30 years, began her love affair with the 19th century at a nostalgia show in 1980.

"It was love at the first sight," said Rusch, president of the Ephemera Society of Canada.

"Posters, photographs and Christmas cards all tell a story about the people who lived in the 19th century."

Not surprisingly, her interest focused on Queen Victoria. "I am trying to keep the memory of Queen Victoria alive and remind people of her importance in Canadian history," she said.

Queen Victoria lived from 1819 to 1901. She was crowned at age 18 and was Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

Her reign is noted for both imperial expansion and the decreasing political power of the monarch.

Despite her busy schedule as a property manager, Rusch still finds time to lecture at libraries and community centres about the 19th century.

Huixia Sun - The Star Staff Reporter
With files from The Canadian Press