WHEN most people move out of a house, they hold a garage sale to dispose of items they no longer need or want. But when it is a heritage house you are talking about, a garage sale simply will not do. Instead you dispose of the contents through a proper auction. After all, these include paintings by National Artists, precious knick-knacks, and fantastic antiques.
The contents of the heritage house of Dr. and Mrs. Alejandro Roces Legarda, are the highlights in Leon Gallery’s seventh online auction on April 27 and 28.
The house — one of the first Art Deco homes in Manila — is located across Malacañang Palace, on San Rafael St., San Miguel, Manila. After being called home by generations of the family, it went on to become the well-loved restaurant Cocina de Tita Moning which closed in 2016 after 15 years of service.
The furniture and fixtures of the home are exquisite examples from the 1920s to the 1930s, said Leon Gallery director Jaime Ponce de Leon.
Among these are the painting La Inocencia by Felix Resureccion Hidalgo — but this however, is not for sale. There are, however, other Hidalgo items up for bid including his certificate for a silver award for his 1889 Paris Expo’s La Parisienne (P100,000 starting bid price), some stamps (P200,000), and a set of books about him (P10,000).
Another bit of history is an envelope addressed to Don Pedro Paterno from Ferdinand Blumentritt, which starts at P5,000.
Over 600 lots are available for view online (https://leon-gallery.com).
Some of the furniture and objets d’art come from the collections of respected antiquarian, art critic, and jeweller Ramon N. Villegas, and National Artist Jose Joya (his painting Space Transfiguration recently became the most expensive auctioned artwork in the country when it sold for P122 million earlier this year).
Among the artworks on sale are pieces by Juvenal Sanso, Arturo Luz, and Hernando R. Ocampo, as well as watercolors by Carlos V. Francisco.
Rare pieces of Lalique porcelain and silver, Chinoiserie, early Filipino furniture, china, books, and photographs are all part of this extensive and well-rounded sale.
Interior decorator Antonio Paolo del Rosario did the curation and design for the physical exhibit of the lots which is ongoing until April 26 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Leon Gallery, Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Streets., Legazpi Village, Makati City.
All bidding will be done online at www.leonexchange.com. The online will be on April 27 and 28. For details visit www.leon-gallery.com, e-mail info@leon-gallery.com, or call 856-2781. — Nickky Faustine D. de Guzman

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