The artist, whose “Tinapa Vendors” sold for P84 million in February, had the highest winning bid at León Gallery’s Spectacular Mid-Year show.
World records for bid prices were shattered during León Gallery’s Spectacular Mid-Year Auction last week in Makati.
Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s “Women with Baskets, Fish, and Crab” emerged as the item with the highest winning bid at a staggering amount of P53 Million. It was also a record for a “green Anita,” as mentioned by gallery director Jaime Ponce de Leon.
Earlier this year, Magsaysay-Ho also scored a big sale at León Gallery’s Asian Cultural Council Auction in February. Then, her “Tinapa Vendors,” which was done in the artist’s favorite medium egg tempera, sold for P84 million.
Rare works
Lao Lianben’s “Gestures,” Pacita Abad’s “Rapture” as well as the late National Artist Arturo Luz’s “Trio Performers” also broke bid records for the three artists, raking in P14 Million, P3.5 Million, and P5.4 Million, respectively. Another Lianben painting titled “Secrets” was sold for a grand amount of P12.8 Million.
“Gestures,” by Liao Lianben 
“Rapture,” by Pacita Abad
The prized paintings of Lee Aguinaldo from the private collection of his beloved Melba Arribas captivated fans of abstract art. Size really did not matter for Aguinaldo’s “Crazy No. 1,” a 12” x 11” mixed media piece that was sold fora whopping P2.2 Million. On the other hand, two untitled oil paintings from the 1950s amassed P4 Million and P1.6 M.
“Santa Filomena Virgen Martir,” by Lorenzo Guerrero 
“Crazy No. 1,” by Lee Aguinaldo
A rare painting by Lorenzo Guerrero titled “Santa Filomena Virgen Martir” fascinated bidders at P3.5 Million. According to curator, Lisa Guerrero-Nakpil, one can count on the fingers of one’s hands the works of the first indio painter that are in existence—and you can say that this piece calls for a rare, special celebration.
Holy grail
As anticipated, antiques from the 19th century and striking Hispanic-era sculptures were sold at vast amounts of fortune. A Palitera (Toothpick Holder)from the 2nd quarter of the 19th century, deemed as the “Holy Grail of Antique Domestic Filipino Silver” was auctioned for P3.5 Million. Picking one’s teeth has never been this lavish for the lucky bidder of this antique silver piece.
Presentation at the Temple 
Inmaculada Concepcion
A relleve or bas-relief depicting the Presentation at the Temple from the late 17th to early 18th century was sold at P2 Million. It is a rarity among Spanish colonial era relleves for its high relief and near life-sized figures.
Meanwhile, a sculpture of the Inmaculada Concepcion, highly coveted for its contrapposto pose and prototypical design of Southern Tagalog woodworks, intrigued santo collectors at a rather affordable amount of P400,000, at least for a bon vivant.
Palitera 
Polychrome Giltwood Frame
A Polychrome Giltwood Frame from the illustrious Pardo de Tavera and Yriarte families of the late 18th to early 19th century attracted a startling price of P2 Million. Designed in the Spanish Baroque style, it is a hybrid of Filipino, Spanish, Mexican, Italian, and Portuguese decorative elements, making it an opulent addition to a wealthy man’s collection.
You can visit León Gallery on Facebook for a recorded replay of the Spectacular Mid-Year Auction 2021.
