Salcedo Auctions’ year-end marquee sale, Under the Tree: The Wish List auction, culminates a banner year that marks Salcedo’s 15th year anniversary celebration. This much-anticipated sale forms part of a legacy defined by significant offerings and discerning collectors—two crucial components behind the auction house’s enduring strength as arbiter and barometer of the Philippine art market.
Over the years, Under the Tree has become synonymous with record-setting results. The 2023 edition saw the landmark sale of National Artist BenCab’s Subway Madonna, which fetched ₱11,096,000, establishing the highest price based on size for any of the National Artist’s works at auction. Formerly owned by Oscar, Tony, and Emmy award-winning actress Glenda Jackson, the work exemplified the global resonance of Filipino art and the continuing rise of its market.
The same season brought remarkable results across the spectrum of Philippine art and design—from Napoleon Abueva’s sculptural 12-seater bench, which went for ₱3,036,800, to Untitled (Painting Session) by National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, which set a new record for any work from his Tres Marias series at ₱1,635,200. Mauro Malang Santos’ Vendors fetched ₱4,088,000, while National Artist Vicente Manansala’s luminous watercolor Untitled (Canal Scene) went for ₱2,102,400, further underscoring the market’s continued confidence in modernist works that capture the depth, color, and humanity of the Filipino experience.
Mauro Malang Santos, ‘Vendors’ — ₱4,088,000
Napoleon Abueva, ‘Twelve-Seater Bench’ — ₱3,036,800
The following year, Under the Tree 2024 continued this trajectory of excellence. Lao Lianben’s meditative Man and Light led the sale at ₱11,680,000, joined by Ang Kiukok’s Rosary Queen at ₱10,512,000 and Romulo Olazo’s Untitled #97 at ₱8,760,000—proof of the enduring appeal of postwar abstraction and the strength of provenance-driven collecting.
Lao Lianben, ‘Man and Light’ — ₱11,680,000
Ang Kiukok, ‘Rosary Queen’ — ₱10,512,000
Beyond fine art, Under the Tree has continually broadened the definition of collectible excellence. The 18th-century Bulacan master kilô altar table reached ₱2,569,600, showcasing the growing demand for heritage furniture and devotional art, while the Cartier Panthère watch in 18k gold and diamonds fetched nearly ₱2,000,000, underscoring the strength of jewelry and timepieces as a distinct collecting category.
18th-century Bulacan master ‘kilô’ altar table — ₱2,569,600
Cartier Panthère, 18k gold with diamonds — ₱1,960,000
As anticipation builds for this year’s Under the Tree: The Wish List, the auction continues to embody the spirit of connoisseurship that has defined Salcedo Auctions for the past 15 years. Each edition invites collectors to rediscover works that not only enrich collections, but also celebrate the evolving narrative of Philippine art and design.
Presented in association with Exclusive Bank Partner UnionBank Elite. Consignments to the ‘Under the Tree: The Wish List’ live and online auction on Saturday, 29 November are closing soon. For inquiries, email info@salcedoauctions.com or call tel. no. +63817591219.
