Inside Leon Gallery’s September auction results

MANILA, Philippines — The Leon Gallery’s Magnificent September Auction 2026 concluded last Sept. 12, posting strong results across both modern fine art pieces and historical artifacts. 

Fernando Zóbel’s Saeta 82 – Filadelfia reached a price of P31.2 million, inclusive of the gallery’s buyer’s premium of 20.16 percent. The work holds a singular place in the abstractionist Saeta series – named for his use of hypodermic syringes to paint – as the only piece he produced in the United States. 

The painting began as a personal gift to Zóbel’s friend Carl Steele, painted in September 1958. It remained in Steele’s private collection for more than six decades before surfacing at auction for the first time. Zóbel set up a makeshift studio in Steele’s penthouse, using a gray canvas to depict the lights of Philadelphia’s cityscape. 

The auction witnessed intense bidding wars throughout the afternoon. A water buffalo sculpture by National Artist Abdulmari Imao closed at over 11 times its floor price at P5.5M, following stated acquisition interest from the National Museum.

Dr. Jose Rizal’s hand-painted ivory and bone chess set, carved around 1893 during his exile in Dapitan, opened at P4 million and sold for P6.5 million – again with the National Museum indicating interest in acquiring it. 

The 32-piece set doubles as artwork in its own right: one side renders traditional European chess figures, the other an African king and queen, with an elephant standing in for the bishop and a zebra for the knight.

Tomorrow, Oct. 17, Leon Gallery will hold Leon Exchange 41st Online Auction.