Lalique and Doulton star in Florida saleroom

Titled The Kiss, it depicts a nude couple in a passionate embrace surrounded with deeply carved foliage. It was used as the model for a Lalique brooch cast in gold with the faces carved in ivory. An example can be found in Le Musee Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon.

The Kiss bronze relief or architectural element c.1900 by René Lalique, $16,500 (£13,000) at Lion & Unicorn.

This piece is one of many recently sold by Lion & Unicorn (20% buyer’s premium) that were formerly part of the private collection of Marie-Claude Lalique (1935-2002) - Lalique’s granddaughter and the last member of the family to run the firm.

Offered as part of a sale titled Opulent Art Glass, Crystal & Ceramic Décor on January 14 with a guide of $5000-8000, it took $16,500 (£13,000).

Having a laugh

Royal Doulton Spook Bunnykins, $10,500 (£8295) at Lion & Unicorn.

The Royal Doulton Bunnykins range of figures issued by art director Walter Hayward and design manager Harry Sales show rabbits in a full range of zoomorphic roles from sportsmen to historical and literary figures.

There are hundreds in the range, but the ‘grail’ models are the prototypes that never entered general production.

The figure shown here, Spook Bunnykins, is a riff on the famous Doulton HN series figure Spook by Harry Tittensor issued in the 1920s. Hand decorated in a multi-colour cloak, the backstamp to the base underlines that it was the property of Royal Doulton Ltd and not intended for sale. Estimated at $2000-3000 at Lion & Unicorn on January 20, it hammered at $10,500 (£8295).

Royal Doulton Spook Bunnykins, $10,500 (£8295) at Lion & Unicorn.

Some of the Bunnykins trial figures have sold at remarkable sums. In July 2022 the prototype tableau group Celebration Time made in 1998 in anticipation of the Millennium took a mighty £35,500 at Potteries Auctions in Stoke-on-Trent. It had previously sold at Bonhams in 2004 for £7000 as part of the sale of selected items from the Doulton Museum.