Magsaysay-Ho fetches P26M at auction

SALCEDO Auctions recorded a clearance rate of nearly 90% of artworks sold at its Finer Pursuits live and online auction held on June 25. The auction featured important Philippine art as well as a curated collection of Philippine furniture and antiques, valuable timepieces, decor, and other rare collectibles.

The highlight of the sale, a 1971 Anita Magsaysay-Ho painting titled Women Fishing, was hammered at P26,864,000 — over twice its published estimate and the highest price for a work by the artist in her distinctive “ink blot” style.

National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera’s rare London-period 1969 work from his Scavenger series sold for P4,088,000.

Ramon Orlina continued to have strong results with Flight of the New Frontiers selling at P4,672,000. Two major watercolor artworks of National Artist for Visual Arts Vicente Manansala’s Planting Rice sold at P2,569,600 and National Artist Botong Francisco’s Untitled (Battle of Mactan) sold for P1,051,200. Objects VII (1967) by Roberto Chabet sold at P1,752,000.

Items sold online and through phone bidders include Michael Cacnio’s Untitled (Boy Reading) whose price rose quickly to P385,440 from a starting bid of P50,000.

Lao Lianben’s Light sold at P700,800; Mauro “Malang’ Santos’s Untitled (Bamboo) sold at P1,284,800 to a determined gentleman who bid live from the sale room.

The afternoon yielded more impressive outcomes for the works of National Artists Ang Kiukok and J. Elizalde Navarro, both of whose paintings’ prices soared. Kiukok’s Reclining Figure sold at P9,928,000, while Navarro’s Summer Storm sold at P2,102,400.

Consignments to Salcedo Auctions’ forthcoming marquee September auction The Well-Appointed Life are being accepted. Visit salcedoauctions.com/getting-started/sell or e-mail info@salcedoauctions.com