The top lot of the sale was a lavish, and very rare gold-mounted du Paquier porcelain bowl, with its cover and stand, from the reign of The Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI made £536,750 at Bonhams Fine European Ceramics Sale in London on Thursday 6 December. It had been estimated at £150,000-200,000. The 281-lot sale achieved £1,139,388.

Bonhams Director of European Ceramics, Sebastian Kuhn, said: "We are delighted that the du Paquier tureen achieved such a high price. It was a highly important piece and I am not surprised that the bidding for it was so competitive."

Other highlights of the sale include:

•Il Gruppo del Laocoonte, a very rare and large biscuit porcelain model of Laocoon and his sons, made around 1785 at the Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea Naples sold for £40,000 (estimate £30,000-50,000).
•An Urbino maiolica istoriato dish, possibly the workshop of Guido Durantino (Guido Fontana), dated 1541 achieved £25,000 (estimate £20,000-30,000).
•A rare Capodimonte figure of a lady with a monkey, circa 1750 realised £16,250 (estimate 10,000- 12,000).

Meissen Porcelain from a European Private Collection

A separate section of the sale at Bonhams comprised the first part of a single-owner sale of Meissen porcelain.

Highlights include:

• a rare Meissen Augustus Rex turquoise-ground vase with hunting scenes, circa 1739-4, which exceeded its estimate, achieving £25,000 (estimate £12,000-18,000)
• an important early Meissen teapot and cover made £31,250 (estimate 20,000-30,000)
• a large Meissen octagonal dish, circa 1730-35 sold for £31,250 (estimate 20,000- 30,000).