370. PATRIOTIC AND POLITICAL PINBACKS

Buttons up!
A handful of pinbacks and buttons mostly with nationalistic and poltical themes--TOP: A Philippine seal enamel button (1960s), a Red Cross button (1920s), a LABAN sign pin (1980s), Teves for Senator pinback (Lorenzo Teves, elected as senator in 1967, appointed governor of Negros Oriental in 1978), and "Iboto Natin si Mercado" (unidentified political candidate, 1960s.).

354. MISS UNIVERSE BEAUTIES IN MANILA: A Souvenir Program--with Autographs!

Eat your heart out, beauty pageant aficionados!
Look what I got? A 1964 souvenir program of the Miss Universe Beauties on Parade show at the Araneta Coliseum! With many photos of teh world beauties...autographed! Yes, 1963 was the year that Miss Philippines reached the finals of Miss Universe--with Lalaine Bennett finishing 4th after Argentinian winner, Norma Nolan. Part of their world tour included a stop in the Philippines, where Miss Universe and her retinue were presented in a lavish spectacle of beauty,music and dance.

The lovely Norma Nolan is the first and only Argentinian beauty to be crowned Miss Universe, and she is featured prominently in the first pages of the magazine. A photo page has her written dedication to a fan, with her autographed name.

Miss Philippines Lalaine Bennett , 3rd Runner Up, also has a page dedicated to her, along with Miss Korea, who placed 5th in the 1963 Miss Universe Pageant. Both have dedications inscribed with their signatures.

Other world beauties include Miss Germany and Miss Denmark--who was also a runner-up in Nolan's court. American state beauties also came over to participate in a rare gathering of feminine pulchritude from the world over. Collecting pageant memorablia has become a big thing in pageant-crazy Philippines, more so with the latest victory of Pia Wurztbach as 2016 Miss Universe,so maybe it's wise to stash those newspapers and magazines proclaiming the news of her victory, as they will be collectibles of the future. As our country's 2nd Miss Universe said--"Being Miss Universe is transitory, but being a Filipina is permanent!".  So hold on to those ephemera, before they fade away!

352. Antique Prints: FEMME et HOMME DES ILES MANILLA

Once upon a time, I entertained the idea of collecting antique prints--and the very first ones I got were this pair of Philippine costume prints of a man and woman from Manila. The hand-colored plates were torn from an antique French travel book about the Philippines. It dates from, perhaps, late 1790s to the early 1800s. The "india' in swathed in a dark cape, and she is draped in a sarong,

The male "indio"  version is just as interesting--he wears a loose pair of shorts that fall down to his knees and his head is covered with some scarf to protect him from the harsh sun. He holds a rather large, embroidered handkerchief. How's that, for macho effect?

I am posting the rest of the pages of the book that came with the prints--in the French language,  I chanced upon these nice Filipiniana pieces being sold by a local dealer on ebay some 2 decades ago--and who has since passed away. I just wished I got more information about these prints--which remain in storage to this day. C'est la vie!!

350. Advertique: RUFINA PATIS PROMO PLATE

First time to see this one-of-a-kid china dinner plate that was a giveaway of Rufina Patis, the first fish sauce brand in the Philippines founded by widow Rufina Salao vda. de Lucas. The home industry that she put up in 1900 became a successful multi-million peso business, peaking in the 50s and 60s.

The business grew by leaps and bounds after the war and 2 modern manufacturing and bottling plants were erected in 1957 and 168 to meet the growing lucrative U.S.-Filipino market. The company also invested in advertising and in sales promotions--and these collectible plate premiums were among those used to entice housewives to buy a bottle of Rufina Patis.

 This small 8 in.diamter plate bears the Rufina Patis Especial logo and bears the Three Starbest China - Made in Japan manufacturer's mark. It was found on ebay Philippines, sold to me by an old gentleman whose father used to have a general merchandise store selling groceries, including condiments and bottled products.

 On the center of the plate is a delicately colored illustration of a woman in patadyong and salakot, with a basketfull of fish in one arm-- a charming Filipiniana touch on a Japan-made plate.

The piece dates from the 50s and still retains its vibrant colors after all these years. It may not have been used and was used for decorative purposes. This is the first and only known premium item associated with the pioneer patis brand in the country.

348. MUNTING CHERUBIMS: Winged Antique Fragments

Picked these pair of wooden cherubims for free--they're just, well, angelic! They're probably parts of an antique santo peana (base for a saint's statue) that were detached, due to age and time, not too old, maybe just 30-40 years old. Even then, they're quite well-made, with many little details like their pudgy cheeks and curly curls. They even retain their original gold paint--although one has been painted over, recently. Right now, they have been repurposed as Christmas tree ornaments, lending an old-world charm to my holiday decorations!

331. Grind, Grind: HEIRLOOM STONE GILINGAN

 Before you start picking for antiques, why not try looking around your own house first? This is just what I did when I started getting hooked on old things. Ever since I can remember, we've always had this stone grinder at home, which was actually used for years in the making of bibingka, tamales and other sweet kakanins (homemade delicacies).

One used a spoon to "feed" the stone grinder with gelatinous rice and water, through a small opening on the top stone wheel. The brass handle is then turned by hand, and the ground rice then comes out of the spout, with a sticky consistency now called "galapung"--the main ingredient in many Filipino sweet treats. This domestic antique bears the name of the original owner, who happens to be the elder brother of my grandpa--Dr. Melecio R. Castro,

The date is carved out on the top stonewheel--Enero 15, 1913--which makes this gilingan a certified antique--over 100 years old! I am glad I saved our stne grinder, which went out of commission many years ago, with the advent of instant "galapung" flour. It still is in great condition, with its original brass turner, that is connected to the stone with a tongue or hardwood, It rests now in my garage, treated like a sculptural piece, the way gilingans are being collected these days as garden ornaments. Hopefully, I will find the opportunity to use this again, to make my favorite tamales. Giling-giling, pag may time!

318. MANILA RAILROAD MILK PITCHER

In the U.S. one hot collectible field is Railroadiana--which refers to artifacts or items of current as well as defunct railways no longer in operation.This very rare specimen-- a small milk pitcher from the Manila Railroad Company is one such example. Passengers were served hot meals and drinks by uniformed railway staff, using tableware--plates, coffee cups, saucers-- bearing the MR logo. This surviving piece from the 30s, was offered by by a Manila collectible shop and it took little convincing for me to acquire it, as it's not only unique, but is also full of history.

The Manila Railroad Company was one of the largest domestic corporations in the Philippines from 1917 -1940's which the Philippine Government acquired in 8 Jan. 1917. Its railway lines totaled 1,140.5 in 1941, located in Luzon.  The lines extended from San Fernando, La Union, in the north, to Legaspi, Albay, in the south. The more important branches are the Paniqui-San Quintin, Tarlac-San Jose, Bigaa-Cabanatuan, San Fernando-Carmen, Calamba-Batangas, and College-Pagsanjan. The company was taken over by the U.S. military during World War II, to be used for the defense of the Philippines. The Manila Railroad Co., suffered irreparable losses from which it has never recovered, thus ending its operations.

287. A DACHSHUND NAMED VICTOR

I don't even know why I got this stuffed pooch. Handmade from corduroy, it's supposed to represent a dachshund--but a red dachshund? Well, I guess there lies its odd charm. This must have been made for a little boy to play with, a canine-loving kid named Victor. The name of the owner is spelled out on top of the dog's head using cut-out felt letters. Alas, the letter "R"is missing!

The dog has button eyes, floppy corduroy ears and kapok stuffing--which makes this probably a relic from the 50s. It's pretty well-preserved, which means that it must have been treasured by Victor, who lived up to the saying that indeed, a man's best friend is his dachshund.

276. The Bangkal Picker: TIPOS DEL PAIS CARVINGS

One of my most recent exciting finds from Bangkal is this lovely pair of tipos del pais carvings, made from batikuling and standing about 18 inches high. The above photo shows them in restored condition; the farmer figure originally had a broken salakot, and a few missing teeth on his wooden harrow. The woman vendor, on the other hand, had a broken finger. I found these two, largely ignored by buyers, on a table together with newer Nativity figures.

As you can see, they are realistically carved with rich details, right down to the texture of the woman's saya and the fruits on her bilao. Both figures stand on a carved, framed base. I have no idea where these came from, or how old they are, but they seem to be from the 50s. These were definitely made for the tourist market, perhaps made in the tourist area of Mabini, or from caring centers in Pampanga and Paete. Originally priced at Php 2000, I managed to bring down the price to Php1,800.

A few days after their restoration, I chanced upon this picture from a Pampanga dealer, taken over 15 years ago. He kept tab of his sold items by taking photos of them. I was amazed at the similarity of these carved figures with mine; the woman represented a female vendor, while the man seem to be a fisherman carrying a net. Even the bases are identica--both are framed with a differnt wood molding. The dealer told me he sold these pre-war pieces for Php40,000, quite a sizeable amount 15 years ago. This validates that, indeed, I am now an owner of a pair of carved treasures--the only difference being the price at which I got them. That's why if you have the patience to scrounge and dig around the junk heaps of Bangkal, you are certain to find your own surprise treasure too--at a price you can afford!.

273. Bear Essential: BABY BEAR PULL TOY

I had it in my mind, that in the near future, I will open an antique toy museum in Pampanga, based on my rather extensive collection of vintage toys and playthings. I had already pitched the idea to a university in my province, which welcomed the unique idea of showcasing toys that shaped and defined our childhood. I have been stashing old toys I could find, ever since.

Toys, however, are not exactly hot collectibles in the country, rarely showing up in traditional antique shops. I have seen a few sungkaans lying around, largely ignored--but not old commercial toys from the 20s and 30s that were once staples in downtown bazaars and emporia like I. Beck's, Aguinaldo's and La Puerta del Sol.

 So it was a major 'eureka' moment for me when I found this whimsical pull toy from the 1930s from an online seller on sulit.com.ph , of all all places--the Philippines' largest online shop. I hardly noticed this seller, who advertised a couple of steel Wyandotte trucks and cars on his site. When I called him up, I was disappointed to know that he had sold most of his motor toys, which are so desirable today.

He told me, however, he still had a few toys from the 30s, toys which his grandfather had played with, and which now they are trying to dispose. One toy that caught my fancy was this baby bear pull toy; it was a stuffed, plush bear mounted on 2-sized wooden wheels. When pulled, the bear nods forward, which certainly would have delighted kids.

There is no marked on the straw-stuffed, glass-eyed bear; it may be a Steiff or a Schuco, German companies that specialized in stuffed toys. Saved for a few bald patches and a missing screw on one of his paws, the toy was in good shape after all these 70 plus years!!!

This example is the first I've seen locally--the other in my possession is a camel push-toy that's larger and meant for older children. For a few hundred pesos, I bought this huggy bear home. Cleaned, oiled  and restored, it is stored in a cabinet, ready to grin and 'bear' it--when the toy museum opens.

265. A Pressing Issue: COLLECTING OLD FLAT IRONS

I don't know for what reason, but one of my very first antique purchase were these flat irons or "prensa" or "plantsa" made of brass (Php100 in 1985).  I think I was attracted to their utilitarian value more than their antiquity, a reminder of the hard work that went into perfect homemaking. Early presses used heat to iron out wrinkles on clothes and fabric--the above example is called "plantsa korona" as it had an open circular top over which live coals were placed. Held by a wooden handle (now gone), the "plantsa" is then made to slide over clothing over and over again, to remove and smoothen out creases. Made of brass, these 'plantsa koronas' were tricky to use, as sparks would fly from the uncovered top and could singe the fabric.

Later plantsas were streamlined in shape, closer to how modern flat irons look like. They were made with a top cover where charchoals could be place into the 'plantsa's" hollow body that had vents to draw off excess heat. "Plantsang de uling", these were called, and these examples are what are usually found in antique shops today. The above 'plantsa' is Philippine made and dates back to the early 50s.

Antique flat irons from the Asian region looked very similar, although many integrated local designs onto the body. This brass example, from Thailand, has incised designs on the rims, and the wooden handle is supported securely with two brass prongs mounted directly on the body of the flat iron. The cost of antique flat irons remain steady in the Philippine antique market with a price range of Php 1500-3000 for the 'plantsa korona', depending on the size. Plantsang de uling could be had for under a thousand bucks. It's all up to you how to display them--I once used my plantsas as book-ends, as a vase holder, or a desk accent to contain paper clips, staples and post-its. You can even use them for their intended purpose, but do learn how not to burn.

261. COLLECTING ESTAMPITAS

 The most affordable antique ephemera are perhaps, those small, mass-produced devotional pictures we call "estampitas", or holy cards. In our Christian tradition, estampitas were meant for the use of the faithful, and they typically depict images of saints or religious scenes. The reverse may contain a prayer, some of which promise an indulgence for its recitation. The circulation of these cards is an important part of the visual folk culture of Roman Catholics.

An important part of the visual folk culture of Filipino Roman Catholics, estampitas were used as iconographic guides in the carving of saints. Early cards were just black and white engravings on parchment, sometimes hand-tinted, until the advent of color lithography and newer printing techniques.

 

The more desirable estampitas are the pierced paper examples that simulate lace. In the center, a colored religious picture is imprinted. Because of their delicate cut-outs, these cards are rarely survived without tears and missing parts, so they remain on top of the list of holy card collectors.

Other estampita variants include Vocation Cards, given out by priests and nuns to celebrate milestones ion their religious life like ordination, profession and sacerdotal anniversraies. There are also Memorial Cards. Sacramental Cards (to mark Baptism, Communion, etc.) and Souvenir Cards from places of pilgrimage.

Since hundreds of thousands are still available, judicious collectors often collect by visual themes (Angels, Saints, Holy Week Scenes, Infant Jesus, Virgin Mary) or categories (Holy Communion Cards, Prayer Cards, Lace Cards, Local Cards). The estampitas shown here, numbering over 200 pieces all came in an album, sold by a private collector though a dealer. Reasonable priced, they are the most appealing paper collectibles one can find today.

256. Tailored Sailor: POPEYE CLOTH DOLL

I've always been a Popeye fan ever since I was a kid, so when I saw this vintage cloth doll in Bangkal, I just had to get it. Popeye the Sailor Man, as the world knows, was born in 1929, a cartoon character created by Elzie Segar. Popeye first appeared in King Feature's daily comic strip and proved to be quite a hit; in 1933, cartoons were produced until 1957. In the Philippines, Popeye cartoons were shown starting in the mid 60s on Channel 7, delighting kids like me with his feats of strength (from a can of Spinach) used against his nemesis (Brutus) whose shenanigans always put into harm's way Olive Oyl, Brutis and hamburger-chompin' Swee'pea. As predicted, Popeye's global popularity resulted in the production of millions of licensed merchandise--toys, dolls, costumes, comics, books, to name just a few.

This Popeye cloth, I assumed was U.S. made--it had a cloth label with the very foreign-sounding brand name Henlich Mark.To my surprise, it turned out to be Philippine-made, a creation of a company owned and operated by the Henares-Lichauco Family back in the 60s. The enterprising Mrs. Lichauco had started the business at home, first, making powder puffs, then branching into children's costumes and stuffed toys which were popular among kids in the 70s thru the 80s. The company is still in existence today. This 22 inch doll has silkscreened features (including his anchor tattoos and trademark pipe), and comes with a separate collar and buttons to complete his sailor outfit. After all these years--Popeye lives on in this doll-- "strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me spinach, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man! Toot-toot!"

255. KWARTA AT KAHON!

Who wouldn't be charmed by this folksy money box? Not only does it have a lot of character in its simple floral carving, but it also comes complete with its own antique key.

In the good old days, before the age of safes and banks, our grandparents kept anything of value in wooden boxes such as this--money, loose change, pieces of jewelry, watches, small, but important documents--maybe even dentures! I have seen wooden cigar cases converted into money boxes, but this box, which probably dates to the 50s, is all hand-made.

The box has shallow compartments for sorting out things, and now it serves as a hiding place for my old medals and antique coins. It's a great example of functional folk art at its best!

248. LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY

Now, here's a 109 year old photo of a snazzy-looking Filipino boy, another nice find from my usual Cubao junkshop. I thought I had found the Pinoy version of  Little Lord Fauntleroy, the character made famous by novelist Francis Hobson Bennett. The novelist introduced us to a style of dress that is at once a page boy costume and a boy-man suit---worn with a lacy collar,  knee pants and black stockings. I was told by the dealer that this photo came from the house of the Paternos in Quiapo, which counts Malolos Congress head, Pedro Paterno as member--but of course, you just have to take claims like this with a grain of salt. Complete with a straw boat hat on his tousled mop of hair and a dandy stick, our Pinoy kid cuts a smart, princely figure indeed, one who could very well win a Fauntleroy Lookalike Contest!

243. VINTAGE 3-D FOLK ART PAINTING

Time was when every 50s and 60s home had "works of art" such as this--a 3-D painting of some generic rural scene, often bought at furniture shops and downtown bazaars. Cheaply produced, the paintings featured subjects such as nipa huts that were cleverly raised in relief from the canvass using sticks, paper mache and cardboards. Elements such as the roof, the walls and the fences were then gesso'ed and painted, in the hope of achieving a more realistic, three-dimensional look. Think of it as "extreme impasto".

Nevertheless, despite this technique, paintings still looked kitschy and naive. But nowadays, period kitsch have been elevated to the status of folk art, Filipiniana style, and this example--sold at a swap shop--carried quite a price tag, many time its original price.Not even the fancy frame can hide the hideous execution of its theme--from the waterfall that cascades down to become a multi-tiered stream, the cockroach-looking carabao and the bahay kubo that looks like a cross between a log cabin and an Ifugao ulog hut. But as they say, one man's awful painting is another man's precious "outsider art".

241. LA NAVAL PRINT

Few months back, I was in Cubao to check on some stuff my dealer supposedly found from an old house in Quiapo. Just as I was arriving at his place, he sped by in his car, the trunk loaded with house junk--just precisely the stuff my thrift shop dreams are made of! He said he had a couple of old prints, so he pulled out this frame, with glass intact.

I could barely see what was behind the glass; it was smeared with dirt and dust build-up! But I could faintly see the hazy shape of what appeared to be a print of the celebrated Virgen de la Naval. I paid for the frame--dust, grime and all--and headed for home.

I immediately pried open the back of the frame, and the backboard turned out to be a cardboard print of some Dutch landscape, complete with windmills and all. My hunch was correct, for upon carefully removing the fragile paper print that the backboard supported, I turned it over to see that it was indeed a nice print of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary--Virgen de la Naval!

The image of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is one of the most revered Marian image in the country. The ivory figure was carved by a Chinese artisan in 1593, who was converted into the faith while carving the image. It now reposes at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City where its annual feast day--La Naval Fiesta--is celebrated every October.

It was my first time to see this kind of print--I have one printed by the UST press that dates from the early 20th century. There were some pencil scribblings at the back of the paper print which puts the date of this making before the War.

239. Extra! Extra! PRE-WAR PHILIPPINE MAGAZINES

Pre-war magazines in readable and stable condition are so hard to find that when a dealer offered a couple of these publications to me, I grabbed them all--and wanted more! The rarest is perhaps, Lipang Kalabaw, which started as a satirical-political magazine in Tagalog came out in in three different periods: 1907-1909, 1922-24, and 1947-48. It was operated by Lope K. Santos and illustrated by Jorge Pineda. It ceased publication in 1909, but was revived in 1922 as Bagong Lipang Kalabaw--and this magazine example came from that period.

On the other hand, The Philippines Free Press was founded in 1907 by its editor-in-chief, R. McCoullough Dick until the 60s,when Teodoro M. Locsin took over as publisher. This issue dates from December 1925.

Another popular pre-war magazine was published by Ramon Roces--the Graphic-- which was edited by A. C. Fabian. Famous writers who wrote for Graphic include E. Aguilar Cruz, Nick Joaquin. It featured essays and literary pieces in English, plus color sections that reproduced the artworks artworks of  the up-and-coming artists of the period, like Jose Bumanlag David and Carlos "Botong" Francisco.

The Spanish La Vanguardia was an American era publication which came out during the early 20th century, It was part of a newspaper empire founded by Don Alejandro Roces that also included Taliba (in Tagalog)  and Tribune (in English and edited by Carlos P. Romulo) -- hence, the T-V-T periodicals.