Church worshippers in 14th century Germany would have been familiar with an aquamanile, a vessel for washing hands at or near the altar. The rich at their tables also used them to clean their hands between courses. A very rare 14th century German bronze aquamanile in the form of a lion is a feature of Bonhams' Decorative Arts 1200-1900 sale in London on Friday 18th December. It is estimated at £100,000-120,000.

Bonhams Head of European Sculpture and Works of Art, Michael Lake said: "The lion was a popular design for aquamaniles. Its shape made it easy to mould. It had strong Biblical associations and was familiar in medieval heraldry as a symbol of power and strength. This rare survivor was made using the lost wax process in around 1350 in either Lübeck or Nuremberg which had replaced Hildesheim as the centre of production."

The aquamanile was an ingenious device. Water could be poured in through a hole (usually in the head and closed with a little hinged lid) into the receptacle of its empty hollow casting and, when the beast was picked up by its tail and tipped forward, poured over the hands to cleanse them from above and into a basin. It could then be carried away by a servant to protect the altar or the table.

Oher highlights include:

• A late Louis XV ormolu mounted grisaille vernis martin, parcel gilt and green painted secretaire à abbatant attributed to René Dubois (1734-1798. Estimate: £200,000-300,000.

• A pair of German late 18th century ormolu and brass mounted mahogany 'mechanical' reading/writing/card/games tables attributed to David Roentgen (1743-1807). Estimate: £100,000-150,000.

• A pair of Louis XV1 gilt and patinated bronze and rouge griotte marble figural three light candelabra. Made around 1785, the gilt bronze mounts are attributed to Francois Réymond (French, c. 1745-1812), and the figures of Cupid ('L'Amour Menacant') and a nymph ('La Nymphe') after the models by Etienne-Maurice Falconet (French, 1716-1791). Falconet originally made the figure of Cupid in 1755, delivering a marble copy of it to Louis XIV's mistress Madame de Pompadour. Paired with the nymph in 1761, the couple enjoyed enormous success with the French royal family and court and other wealthy collectors. Estimate: £100,000-150,000.

• A rare pair of Louis XV gilt bronze mounted Chinese café au lait ground famille rose porcelain jars and covers. In the French court during the reign of Louis XIV and continuing into the Régence period and beyond, the preoccupation with a romanticised view of the exotic east meant it became 'à la mode' to mount Chinese porcelain with European styled extravagant and stylish gilt bronze mounts to suit the décor of fashionable interiors. Vases using dragon mounts, as in this example, are extremely rare. Estimate: £80,000-100,000.

• A rare and probably unique patinated and parcel gilt bronze 'double size' figure of St George by Sir Alfred Gilbert. This newly discovered statue of St George by the major 19th and early 20th century British sculptor, Sir Alfred Gilbert, is a close variant on Gilbert's design for the statue of St George on the tomb of the Duke of Clarence in St George's chapel. The piece is believed to be unique. Estimate: £80,000-120,000.