At Salcedo Auctions’ The Well-appointed Life last September 14, Mauro Malang Santos’ painting Woman became the center of an exciting battle between a phone bidder and a paddle-holder on the floor. From the podium where the auction house’s chairman and chief specialist has presided over countless high-stakes transactions, Richie Lerma didn’t have to do much prodding. The two buyers were obviously out to win, propelling prices toward a new benchmark in the last two minutes of the bidding.
From the P14,000,000 mark, it took all of 60 seconds for the bidding to reach P22,000,000, prompting a quip from Lerma: “I’m sure everybody’s looking at their Malangs right now.” After another minute of paddle raises and responses, the phone bidder emerged triumphant with a winning offer of P26,864,000 (including buyer’s premium), setting a new record that signals Malang’s unprecedented rise to the top ranks of the masterpiece market.
Jose John Santos’ ‘Handyman’ (2006) fetched a record-breaking P8,760,000.
By coincidence, another artist surnamed Santos would also set a new benchmark. Jose John Santos III’s Handyman sparked a spirited exchange between at first two and then a final phone bidder and a gentleman on the floor, whose winning bid of P8,760,000 set a new world auction record for the artist based on size. It was a high moment for contemporary art after a lull in record-breakers, the last one being the new benchmark set by Rodel Tapaya in 2023, also at Salcedo Auctions.
An 18th-century solid ivory ‘Sto. Niño Dormido’ (left) with a beatific smile sold for P2,401,600, while a 19th-century processional ivory and wood ‘San Vicente de Ferrer’ drew frenetic offers that resulted in a staggering final price of P2,336,000.
It was the afternoon of the santos, apparently. After Malang and Jose John Santos’ historic streak (notably with works that are fresh to the market), collectors fought valiantly for two saintly carvings which achieved hammer prices beyond their high estimates. An 18th-century solid ivory Sto. Niño Dormido with a beatific smile sold for P2,401,600, while a 19th-century processional ivory and wood San Vicente de Ferrer drew frenetic offers that resulted in a staggering final price of P2,336,000 (after buyer’s premium), which is twice the high estimate.
A 19th-century Northern uplands ‘hagabi’ (left) fetched P3,300,000; an exquisite betel and tobacco leaf container sold for P642,400.
The final prices for an early 20th-century ritual ‘duyo’ (left), which sold for P210,240, and a mid-20th century Maranaw chess set, sold for P467,200, are indicators of the growth in the ethnographic categories.
The Well-Appointed Life auction results also reveal the continuing growth of the Philippine ethnographic category, as indicated by the P3,300,000 final price for a 19th-century Northern upland hagabi, the P642,400 final price of an ornately carved betel and tobacco leaf container, and the P210,240 winning offer for a large early 20th-century duyo or ritual bowl.
No one in the room anticipated a surprise surge in the bids for a mid-century Maranaw chess set, which shows the appreciation for the Maranaws’ unique interpretation of a board game using narra and kamagong with bone inlay. It sold for a whopping P467,200, well over its high estimate of P90,000.
After another successful sale, Lerma is upbeat about the auction house’s upcoming events. “Salcedo Auctions defines what a real art market is, with many successful bids that soar well beyond their published pieces, some even setting world records, and even more lots selling within their published estimates,” says Lerma. “It shows our expertise in accurately feeling the Philippine art and collectibles market with reliable and verifiable results in keeping with our role as arbiter and barometer. What happens at Salcedo Auctions impacts the way people sell and buy art in the months to come, as we find ourselves in the midst of preparations. In fact, we are already taking consignments for our upcoming sales in October and November.”
Consignments are now being accepted for the next marquee sale, ‘Under the Tree: The Wish List,’ set for Saturday, November 23. For inquiries, email info@salcedoauctions.com or call tel. nos. (0917) 107-5581 and ( 0917) 591-2191. For updates, follow @salcedoauctions on Facebook and Instagram.
