The sculpture sold for P3.85 million over a weekend of furious bidding.
Salcedo Auctions subsidiary Gavel & Block seems to be off to a great start, as seen in the sales from its first event for the year. The online auction which took place on February 5 saw robust bidding from collectors who fought hard for their choice lots.
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According to the auction house’s founding chairman, Ramon Lerma, “this sale underscores the trust that Salcedo Auctions has earned over the past decade in pioneering the Philippine art and collectibles auction industry. That confidence has also been given to its subsidiary Gavel & Block, where both established and emerging names in the field of art and design come together seamlessly.”
Leading the big winners is Ramon Orlina’s glass sculpture, which sold for a whopping P3,854,400, a new auction record for the artist. The sculptor was obviously delighted upon hearing of the results, saying “I am very happy the collectors think all that way. It’s better than putting your money in the bank!.”
Evidenced by the results of the recently concluded sale, there are believers in Orlina’s pronouncement, with even small works on paper doing exceptionally well. A sample of this is Mauro Malang Santos’ 9”x6” untitled portrait of a woman, which closed at P443,840—over 121 percent of its high estimate.
HR Ocampo’s 14”x22” tempera on paper abstraction sold for P560,640, while an untitled ink on paper nude dated 1974 went for P233,600. Comprising three simple lines, the drawing’s strokes may well be some of the most expensive by a Filipino contemporary artist.
While Arturo Luz and Fernando Zobel have long been proven blue chip names in the auction scene, their phenomenal performance at the Gavel&Block auction still served up surprises: Luz’s Cityscape, an original fine print, achieving a hammer price of P256,960, over 1,068 percent of the high estimate; another print, Zobel’s Oscuro Veneziano de 1984’s sold at P105,120, which was 304 percent over the high estimate
From the younger contemporary artists, Maria Taniguchi and Emmanuel Garibay remain bankable names, with the former’s “Untitled 3” fetching P642,400 (0ver 60 percent up from its high estimate), and the latter’s “Girl with Batibot Chair” closing at P759,200, which is 76 percent more than its high estimate.
It wasn’t just art that saw aggressive bidding from a new breed of online buyers, like the collector who was determined to get hold of an ornately-carved screen with inlays. His jump bid of P80,000 against P18,000 signified his strong intent. The screen ultimately sold for P99,280, over 484 percent its high estimate.
Salcedo Auctions’ managing director Victor Silvino says that “the success of our opening salvo for 2022 presented an emerging collector base that is willing to go online, determined to bid on our well curated selection of Philippine art and antiques, contemporary pieces, etc.. We can’t wait for the Salcedo Auctions March 12 sale, entitled ‘Important Philippine Art,’ the consignments for which are still open up to Feb. 12.”
Banner: “Convergence,” (2001) by Ramon Orlina
