The country’s biggest auction event, The Well-Appointed Life: An Auction Weekend brought discerning collectors to 8 Rockwell on Sept. 17 and 18 to participate in its four sale categories, with results for many of the lots on offer exceeding expectation, surpassing their pre-sale estimates.

The centerpiece of the first auction, Connoisseur Collection, was the rare 1865 Banco Espanol Filipino de Isabel II ‘Diez Pesos Fuertes’ banknote which sold at P467,200.00— more than 400 percent above its published price - attracting bids from both local and overseas collectors. Excellent clearance rates were also enjoyed across the board among the fine furniture, decor, tribal and ethnographic art, and valuable books and maps.

Salcedo Auctions’ keenly-awaited Important Philippine Art sale, which was conducted to a full audience consisting of the country’s top art collectors as well as up-and-coming aficionados, showed the true picture of the market, with enthusiasm and Salcedo’s brand of pragmatism delivering consistent results across the board for both established and contemporary artists, and an astonishing 90 percent clearance rate of the 165 lots on offer.

World record prices were achieved for Juvenal Sanso for his Untitled (Topiary), a Paris-period 1960s oil on canvas, and Danilo Dalena’s Bangungot, a rare 1983 oil on canvas. Notable outcomes were also achieved for National Artist BenCab’s 1968 acrylic on canvas, Transition, and National Artist Ang Kiukok’s Untitled (Dogs), a 2000 oil on canvas, both of which breached the P14,000,000.00 price level. 

National Artist Fernando Amorsolo’s luminous Departure of the Fishermen and Alfonso Ossorio’s ‘Victorias series’ Three Mothers were also big draws, selling at Php 5,840,000 and Php 4,088,000 respectively. Sale highlight Albun de ML by Jose Honorato Lozano sold immediately after the auction at Php 6,424,000, and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo’s Una Damita (Portrait of Ana Maria Gonzalvez) was also sold by private treaty at Php 8,760,000.

On Sunday, strong results were also achieved in the Fine Jewelry & Timepieces auction, with a number of the major diamond pieces, including the 5 carat VVS heart-shaped loose stone, and the impressive D-F color diamond floral cluster earrings being sold, together with signature pieces such as the 18k solid yellow gold and mother pearl choker by Bvlgari. Among the watches, highlights included the Patek Philippe Reference 50706-001A Fine and Rare Large Gentleman’s Chronograph Ref. 5070G-001, 

Movement No. 3146847/4153397, 42mm, circa 2009; the Breguet Classique Perpetual Calendar Power Reserve Moonphase Ref. 3310BA, 36mm; and an Important and Extremely Rare and Collectible Vintage Submariner “Big Crown James Bond” Ref. 5510-0, 37mm, Serial No. 361877, circa 1958.

At the Rare Automobiles auction a successful bid was received for the 1999 BMW Alpina B10 V8, selling beyond the high estimate at PHP 2,686,400. The other vehicles presented at auction are available for private treaty sale.

Post-auction sale offers are only entertained until the end of the month. Visit our premises at Three Salcedo Place or the Salcedo Auctions ‘The Well-Appointed Life’ Lounge at Power Plant Mall.

Consignments are invited to the ‘Under the Tree’ auctions to be held in the last week of November 2016.