AT THE Kingly Treasures Auction 2015 of León Gallery, the highest-selling piece was Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s 1964 oil-on-canvas “Four Women,” which was sold for P23.94 million from a starting bid of P5 million.

National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera’s “Sabel” fetched P11,680,000. Starting bid was P2.2 million.

The highest-selling contemporary work, as expected, was fetched by Ronald Ventura’s “In Memorial!”—P16,352,000— from a starting bid of P7 million.

The auction was held last Dec. 5 at León Gallery, Eurovilla 1, Rufino and Legaspi Streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

The auction set numerous “world records” for modern masters Lao Lianben and Romulo Olazo, said León director Jaime Ponce de León.

Lao’s 1985 mixed-media “Wood Void” fetched P5.14 million, beating previous records set in the León auction.

Olazo’s 1982 oil-on-canvas “Diaphanous B-LXXVII,” which garnered P5.84 million, is now the highest-selling work by the late artist. The 9-foot high piece is also the largest Olazo work to be sold in an auction.

On the contemporary side, Jigger Cruz’s 2013 work “Blares of the Opposite”—rendered in oil and spray paint on canvas and wooden frame—was sold for P6.72 million.

Barrioquinto’s 2015 oil-on-canvas “Into the Fray,” hammered in at P6.72 million. It is now the highest-selling piece by the artist.

Pieces from the J. Antonio Araneta Collection also got high prices.

A significant piece by early-20th-century master Vicente Rivera y Mir, “Pauwi,” a 1933 work rendered in oil on masonite board, was auctioned off for P642,4000.

Also part of the collection was Fabian de la Rosa’s oil-on-wood “Magkakapit-Bahay,” sold for P1.28 million.

Other notable works from the important collection in the auction were Victorio Edades’ 1965 “Esther’s Two Profiles,” rendered in oil on masonite board (P1.87 million); Fernando Amorsolo’s 1945 pencil-on-paper “The Church of San Francisco Santa Potenciana Street in Intramuros” (P467,200); Dominador Castañeda’s masterful large-scale rendition of the Manila Cathedral (P186,880); and Juan M. Arellano’s 1960 oil-on-wood “Interior” (P642,400).

Meanwhile Jorge Pineda’s “Magpaparol,” which graced the cover of the catalogue, was auctioned off for P3,971,000. Starting bid was P800,000.

Masters, National Artists

Among the important works on the auction are by Old Masters such as Ramon Peralta, Romeo Enriquez, Teodoro Buenaventura; and National Artists including HR Ocampo, Ang Kiukok, José Joya, Jerry Elizalde Navarro, Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, and Vicente Manansala.

A prime example of Peralta’s work, 1936 oil-on-canvas “Sunset in July,” fetched P221,920.

Enriquez’s 1966 oil-on-canvas “Blood Compact” was sold for P817,600.

Buenaventura’s 1945 oil-on-wood “Landscape” garnered P233,600.

A very important piece by Ocampo, 1965 “Talking Birds,” came in at P5.26 million. The piece is rendered in oil on masonite board.

Another sought-after piece was Ang Kiukok’s 1978 oil-on-canvas “Door,” sold for a staggering P10.51 million.

Joya’s 1985 acrylic-on-canvas “Torogan,” the artist’s major work in the 1980s, fetched P9.93 million.

A notable piece is Navarro’s 1994 oil-on-cavas “A Maguindanao Folk Dance,” bearing the artist’s signature dynamic colorism, was sold for P2.22 million.

Botong’s 1944 oil-on-board “Landscape with Two Farmers” and Manansala’s 1971 work “Mother and Child” were both sold for P6.42 million apiece.

Aguilar Alcuaz’s 1985 “Cuatro Marias (Tres Marias Series)” fetched P817,600.

Antique furniture

For the furniture, a Tinio-Gabaldon cabinet, built in the second quarter of the 19th century, hammered in at a whopping P15.77 million. The piece belonged to one of the progenitors of the Tinio family, the richest and most landed in Nueva Ecija.

The Sheraton Sideboard, made of narra and carabao bone, was bought for P1.05 million.

The glass-encased Encarnacion-De los Reyes Virgen bearing the statue of the Virgin Mary was sold for P1.28 million.