290. FANTASY PHOTO POSTCARDS

 Before the advent of photoshop, salon studios created special effects using amazing scenography, fashioned from cardboard and wooden props to situate the subject in a fantasy place. But even more incredible are these manipulated real photo postcards, several elements cut and pasted on a new background, which was then painted and tinted over.

Painted photos are not unknown in the Philippines as the "foto oleo" technique was known as aearly as the the first decade of the 20th century. Ordinarily, the subject's dress is washed lightly with color, and the details of a baro were defined by paint. But these two photo postcards bearing the names of "Anita" and "Concepcion" were much more elaborate as they combined time-consuming cutting, rephotographing. lettering, painting and tinting. True, the advent of modern photography and computer technology have all but rendered this tedious process obsolete, but nothing can duplicate the artistry of these fantasy--conceived by imaginative minds and crafted by deft, hard-working hands!

249. Filipiniana Tole Art: A WEDDING IN 3-D

 One of the more unusual framed photos I have seen is this three-dimensional photo cut-out of a wedding couple, assembled between glass, found in an Apalit warehouse. The pictures appear in layers, with each picture element--the bouquet, the bride and the groom--cut out and glued on wood; which means that several sets of the same wedding photo were used to make this tole art piece.

 The whole ensemble was then mounted on the base of a frame, then sandwiched between glass, and the result is rather a unique and striking presentation of the busts of a wedding couple at a very special moment of their lives.

 I have seen only 2 similar pieces in my collecting lifetime--one, a solo figure of a woman in butterfly sleeves, and the other, also a 1930s wedding anniversary picture of a prominent couple in my town:

I may never know the identities of the bride and the groom, but what I do know is that their lifelike good looks are forever preserved in this rare, tole art piece that is a testament to the imaginative creativity of a Pinoy artist-photographer!

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!

240. Before They Were Famous: ALFIE ANIDO'S YEARBOOK

Remember Alfie Anido? He was one of the so-called Regal babies launched to stardom in the late 70s to 80s (the others were Willima Martinez, Snooky Serna, Jimmy Melendez, Gabby Concepcion, etc.). Well, back in 1973, he was a chubby elementary school graduate whose batchmates include President Noynoy Aquino, designer Pepito Albert and senator Teofisto Guingona III!

That's what I found in his Ateneo Yearbook, which I picked from the recent Greenhills Antiques Fair. Just 14 years old here, Alfie was a member of the Varsity Football. Upon graduation, he remained in Ateneo to pursue a management course.

While in college, he started appearing in commercials and in fashion shows, and was soon discovered for the movies. He was teamed up with former Miss Magnolia finalist, Dina Bonnevie, whom he supported in the 1980 hit camp film "Temptation Island".

Just a day before his 21st birthday, on 30 December 1980, Alfie died, reportedly of suicide. But rumors abound that the Enriles had something to do with his untimely death (he was with Juan Ponce Enrile's daughter, Katrina, at that time). In Enrile's recently published memoir, he revealed that Fabian Ver was behind the rumor linking his family to Alfie's death, a rumor that has become a sort of an urban legend in Philippine showbiz. Who would think that only 7 years before that, Alfie was a happy, chubby, cute young Atenean, with perhaps just his football games in his mind?

171. PHILIPPINE MOVIE STARS FAN PHOTOS

Real photo fan photos that doubled as postcards were very popular during the early '50s and were sold in shops, news stands and photo stores all over the country. One could also write the studio or the actor himself to request for a photo complete with dedication. These examples, bought from a Philippine ebay seller, are a few examples--portraits of some of the most popular stars during the Golden Age of Philippine cinema.

From LEFT TO RIGHT: Lucita Goyena (late 30s star who was a favorite leading lady of Fernando Poe Sr.), Corazon Noble (known today as Jay Ilagan's mother) and Elsa Oria ("Singing Sweetheart of the Philippines who starred in many musicals).


From LEFT TO RIGHT: Leopoldo Salcedo ("The Great Profile", Lionel Barrymore of the Phils.), Fernando Poe Sr. (FPJ's father who died of rabies in 1953) and Rogelio de la Rosa (Philippines' most famous actor of the 50s, future ambassador and senator).

157. RADIO STARS FROM PURICO RADIO SHOW

Purico, a brand of shortening, was introduced in 1919 by the Philippine Manufacturing Corporation (PMC). It was sold in carton blocks with the familiar yellow label. The products of PMC were promoted over the radio, then the leading mass medium before the advent of television. Purico sponsored "The Purico Amateur Hour" (It was later renamed Tawag ng Tanghalan/Call of the Stage for which the first TV advertising contract is signed, after PMC was bought by Procter & Gamble.)


The Purico Amateur Hour featured the brightest stars of the radio, dishing out songs and skits and what-have you--from Tolinday and Chichay, annoucers Ira Davis and Conde Ubaldo, actresses Rebecca Gonzales, Lily Miraflor and singing discoveries like Milagros Bernardo.


The radio program attracted bigtime stars (Rogelio de la Rosa, Rosa Rosal, among others) and gained a nationwide following. Fan photos of the performers and stars were issued for adoring fans to collect in albums. An example is shown above, made perhaps, by an ardent follower of the radio show. About 20 photos of from the radio program were assembled on a home made album of Manila paper, dating back to the 190s, the golden age of Philippine radio broadcasting.

59. '50s ARTISTAS! Fan Photos Galore

Dream. Believe. Survive. Starstruck!

And survive these 1950s movie stars did--in these small color fan photos found at a recent collectible show. Printed on thin paper, these may have come as premiums with certain products--like bubble gum and candies--made to be collected as a set. Or they may been cheap prizes for a "bunutan" board. The photos even have printed 'autographs' of the stars that include Nestor de Villa, Tessie Agana, Ben Perez, Carmen Rosales, Evelyn Valle, Danilo Montes, Carlos Salazar, Jose Padilla Jr. Armando Goyena and Alicia Vergel. You see, old movie stars never die, they just get collected.