MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Salcedo Auctions’ year-end sale caps an exceptional run in 2023, marked by memorable bids, new programs and fresh experiences. Its Under the Tree: The Wish List live and online auction, which starts at 2:00 pm on Saturday, December 02, promises to be another exciting event with a remarkable room list that includes a series of important Philippine art, a fine selection of antique furniture, and a sparkling suite of jewelry and timepieces, among other valuable collectibles.
Art collectors will be delighted with a series of works that rarely come to auction, like an early
piece from BenCab titled Subway Madonna, which precedes his Sabel and Larawan series. Created
during the National Artist’s stay in London, Subway Madonna was previously owned by Oscar,
Emmy, and Tony award winner, the legendary British actress and politician, Glenda Jackson.
It is accompanied by the works of artists whose auction appearances have recently become few
and far between, adding to their rarity: Geraldine Javier’s The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
(which comes home after being exhibited in museums, galleries, and having been acquired by
its previous owner from the prestige evening sale of important Asian art at an international
auction house), Lao Lianben’s impressive 6 x 5 ½ ft acrylic on wood (purchased directly from the
artist by its current owner), and Mark Justiniani’s Morning Glow, a voluptuous nude rendered in
the artist’s signature strokes.
The rest of the curated selection brings forth a festive roster of works by National Artists Cesar
Legaspi, Vicente Manansala, Napoleon Abueva, J. Elizalde Navarro, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, and
H.R. Ocampo, as well as modern masters Mauro Malang Santos, Solomon Saprid, Betsy
Westendorp, Onib Olmedo, and Constancio Bernardo.
Significant art entries to this sale also include works from the estate of the eminent architect Juan M. Arellano – a superb painter, his influence in bringing modernism to Philippine visual art, despite critical acclaim, remains largely underrated – and National Artist Vicente Manansala’s sketchbook and drawings which are being deaccessioned by Holy Angel University. The university, which established the Vicente Manansala Gallery of the Museum of Kapampangan Arts, intends to use proceeds from their sale for their Vicente Manansala Endowment Fund–recently launched to support struggling Kapampangan visual artists. All these plus other paintings by the country’s accomplished artists complete the art section’s blockbuster line-up.
Not to be outdone are the lots from the furniture section, headlined by an Art Nouveau aparador designed by Maestro de Obra Emilio Alvero (who was the most popular interior decorator of his time), vintage pieces by another acclaimed architect Lor Calma, and a festive and eminently
collectible armchair prototype by Kenneth Cobonpue, who was recently honored by his alma mater with the Pratt Legend 2023 award, the only Asian to ever receive the prestigious accolade.
The watch and jewelry room list is just as dazzling, starting with a diamond-studded Cartier Panthère watch in 18k gold. There is also Patek Philippe’s newest addition to its family of luxury timepieces – an Aquanaut Chronograph 5968R, the first of its type to come in a rose gold casing,
and which caught worldwide attention when soccer superstar Bukayo Saka recently signed his
USD74 million Arsenal contract wearing one.
