MANILA, Philippines — Casa de Memoria, an auction house known for dealing vintage and valuable objets d’art, recently held its very first auction for 2023.
It opened its doors to both seasoned and budding collectors, with 143 lots, all vibrant, vintage and valuable artistic masterpieces, going under the hammer.
These objets d’art, which bridge both Eastern and Western cultures, the present and the past, turned out to be very interesting indeed, as they carried with them a part of global history, with pieces including centuries-old to modern paintings, bronze sculptures of varying scale, and a vintage jewelry collection. Also commanding good amounts were Ming dynasty artifacts and an 18th-century ivory Santo Niño.
“When we opened The Casa’s doors for our first auction this year, we wanted to present objects that are fresh to the eye. We continue to bring pieces that carry rich histories with them. But for this Primero Auction, we playfully highlighted some contemporary pieces as well. This Casa Primero will definitely pique the interest of different collectors, both seasoned and new,” noted Angelique Lhuillier, director of Casa de Memoria.
Casa de Memoria, the auction house, is actually located inside the Palacio de Memoria, a historic mansion in Parañaque City owned by the Lhuillier family and is used as an events venue.
“The leitmotif of this Primero 2023 auction is best captured by Lot 41, an Orientalist oil painting that curiously represents various contradictions. On one hand, you have both a human subject and still life in one. On the other, there is a hint of a modern cityscape as background to this archaistic male figure This is done likely by a younger artist following the legacy of a Spanish modern master. It is, in itself, a testament of how art always serves as a vessel of time, passing on the lessons of the past to those who would love and collect these pieces anew,” said Camille Lhuillier-Albani, general manager of Casa de Memoria.
Angelique added: “People often say that our auctions cater lots with history. But the truth is, even if your piece does not yet have a history with it, we can help you find their stories lost in time. And by retelling their stories, we help collectors to appreciate these pieces more. In turn, our auctions also help these pieces find their new home.”
Palacio de Memoria, a pre-war seaside estate that survived the carpet bombing of Manila, is a recipient of the 2020 National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Philippine Heritage Awards for adaptive reuse. Therefore, a visit to the Palacio is itself a history walkthrough and a trip back in time.
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