Palayok: The Philippine Funerary Iron Age Pottery

Funerary pottery in the Philippines is one of the more niche type of antique collectibles here.  It is not well understood.  Casual collectors dismiss this as buraot or cheap collection favoring more the trade porcelain from China and mainland Southeast Asia.  Lack of literature and low supply keep this kind of artifacts out of the mainstream antique market here in the Philippines. However, true collectors who understand these enjoy collecting them, and appreciate their history.  By history, I mean the value of these Iron Age pots and vessels in the contribution to the understanding and knowledge of ancient Filipinos.

Except for the Maitum anthropomorphic jars and other anthropomorphic vessels, these are affordable.  Depending on where you are, these can range from a few hundreds to a couple of thousands of pesos. I got mine for a couple of thousand pesos and many more pieces ranging from 500-800 pesos each.  If you're living in Panay, then you might have encountered stories of collectors hauling pottery for a song. Why? Because a rich cache of pots were found at a well known (for archaeologists like William Solheim) island thereby glutting the antique trade in Iloilo. This made many collectors happy.

This vessel I bought from my itinerant dealer was from that same island. Apparently, recent rains washed away some sand cover thereby revealing a cache of pots. Anyway, I bought this book from the Ayala Museum entitled Pang-alay and it is a treasure trove of  researched information about the Philippines before the age of trading.

Our ancestors made these vessels as "pabaon" for the dead. They were not used for eating or drinking but  were made especially for the internment of the dead. I am not sure whether the degree of stylization of the vessel is indicative of the social status of the family.

From a collector's point of view, here are some insights on this matter:

1.  Examine the object.  The potting is generally thin and surprisingly light-weight.  The color can have an orange rusty tinge or none at all.  Some would have marine encrustations indicative that these were found either at the shoreline or under the sea.  A lot have simple decorations of incised or chevron patterns, some have none at all, while some are stylized with roped indentations.  So, due to scant information on this, even plain vessels can still be collectible.

2.  Look for restorations.  I discovered several days after my purchase that one of the vessels has a restoration.  I had to consider it as my tuition fee.   This happens to all collectors, and because of the few books on the subject, you are left to your own device on how to spot fakes and reproductions.  Check the vessel's weight.  Inspect the color.  If there's a break in the design or consistency of the medium, it may be an indication that the vessel may have been tampered.  Marine encrustations can be a distraction, so be wary if they seem pasted. Look for creeping patterns of calcification because if they were pasted, you'll know.

3.  Read & Research.  Search the Internet for journals.  Correspond to William Solheim, the Philippines' eminent archaeologist whose expertise deals with this. You will have to invest in books like Pang-alay which you can buy from Ayala Museum in Makati or you can buy Kayamanan, a book on Arturo de Santos' collection found at the BSP. Kayamanan book is however out-of-print.

4. Visit the Metropolitan Museum.  Go to the basement level of the Met and you'll find the jewelry and the pottery of ancient Filipinos all in their finest glory.  When I saw them I was gobsmacked. It was fantastic to see those. 

5. Visit Antique Shops. Ask if they still have Iron Age pots and vessels. Some dealers would rather use the term "palayok" than "iron age". If you do find one, then haggle it to death so you can get the best deal. 

Happy Antiquing!

Literature on Pinoy Collectibles & Antiques

 

Here in the Philippines, publications on antiques, collectibles and Filipino heritage are hard to come by. It's either the books are out of print or are way too expensive for the average Juan de la Cruz.  

The bookstores are not helping either. They don't stock these books or if they do, the item is already soiled and grimy from extended manual handling. It's a big disappointment. Small local independent bookshops have a good number of Filipiniana titles but books on Pinoy collectibles are few and far between.  And antique shops have books that are way too expensive and more geared for the rich and sosi afficionados. Which is why it pays to attend exhibits and look for titles among the museum shops' offerings.This way their stocks are well kept and they're priced reasonably (as against to Amazon's used book prices).  

One of my greatest regret as a collector was that I only started "seriously" collecting and buying books on Pinoy antiques when they are already off the shelves and nowhere to be found.  Now that I have the means to do so, I have been trying to rectify this deficiency and the only thing hampering me is the unavailability of the supply.  So far I've already snapped up several books and hopefully others on my list will soon be ticked off.

My recent acquisitions were these:

1. Zhangzhou Ware Found in the Philippines (Rita Tan)

While I was still in college studying in the Manila area, I usually go to Powerbooks or Fullybooked just to pass the time and browse through their Filipiniana section. I remember browsing this book and commenting  there's no way anyone will spend P2500 for a book. Though I enjoyed looking at the plates and bowls, it didn't give me the same excitement until now when I bought the remaining copy from Solidaridad. It's one of the few seminal books on Swatow ware in the Philippines.

2. A Thousand Years of Stoneware Jars (Cynthia Valdez)

This book is for the ceramic specialist and the collector of Martaban jars.  Martaban jars named after the Burmese port of the same name, are very popular as a collectible among middle to upper class Filipinos.  These become home accent pieces and are fairly expensive compare to some Ming and Sung ceramics.  They're quite rare and if you have several, then great.  This book tells about the development, the usage and the trade of this kind of Southeast Asian ware. Ayala Museum and the Lopez Museum carry this title and at less than P1000, it's worth every penny.

3. Pang-Alay (Cynthia Valdez)

This book is one of the few volumes that delves on the Iron Age Pottery of the Philippines.  These funerary pots and vessels are quite collectible, but not as collectible as the glazed ceramics.  The book is research based and has a very extensive catalog. For Filipinos, this is a very useful book especially in identifying items in their collection. Ayala Museum carries them.

4. Three Hundred Years of Philippine Maps (PHIMCOS)

This P600 volume is printed in full color and has 94 pages replete with old Philippine maps.  The maps inside reflect the vast collection of the exhibit. The catalogue itself is already a most-prized collectible because there are only two other books on Philippine maps as of today and both are exorbitantly priced.  This is why this catalogue is useful in identifying ones collection for almost all the pages are jam-packed with representative maps.  This is a keeper. You may want to contact phimcos.org for available copies because as far as I know unsold catalogues were returned to the organization. And none are being sold in major bookstores.  Thus, if you were able to snatched one up, consider yourself lucky.

On Bohol Urnas or A Small Urna Primer

Original Bohol Urna w/ an antique grada from another urna.

 A few weeks ago, my dealer brought me to his source at one of those far-flung towns in my province. There, I spotted among the warehouse bric-a-brac three folk santoses and these three Bohol urnas or home altars.  They were quaint, and looked run down but the patina of antiquity was exquisite.

My largest Bohol Urna with intricate carvings. The grada is suspiciously recent.

The corona of the above-mentioned urna is suspiciously modern.

I had a difficult time sleeping then. I researched on the allure of Bohol urnas and urnas in general and it seemed that this is a highly collectable type of Philippine antique. Why? It appeals to the Filipinos who are mostly Catholics, and having these would exude an Old World Hispanic air inside their homes. Secondly, because they are prominently displayed at the sala (living rooms) as altars and reliquaries, these give their owners a sense of being wealthy.  Lastly, some would have them as a devotional artifact thus, enriching their Catholic faith.  In my case, I adore them more for their historical value and their artistic merit. It lends an atmosphere of old Latin America (which is presently chic in this tropical country of ours) that is reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabelle Allende. And the niche-like design of urnas gives the antique santos a much-pumped up appearance in the same way a Thai spirit house would enhance a tropical garden. It must be the spirituality in the housing.

According to Guy Custodio,

 The URNA, a miniature (both in the Baroque and Rococo style) housing for santos made up of molave slices pegged together by mortise. The overall surfaces have floral and architectural relief, deeply carved and painted with oil colors; some were even gilded. Very similar to a tabernacle except the structure is elevated on a grada; a polygonal panel that is wider at the bottom with stepped sides. The center compartment where the santo is housed has sliding doors often with a painting of a chalice. 

One can see the grada on both of my urnas.  They are those carved step-like structures that form the platform of the urnas.  This means that the grada is structurally separate from the urna wherein one can simply lift and detach the urna and display it on its own. Of course, collectors do not like this because it would render the set incomplete.  Others however, would display the grada on their own as a wall decoration similar in treatment to those dismemebered calado from old houses.  Apart from the grada, there's the top carving (the term of which I do not know) and is also detachable from the urna.  Thus, if you have the three structures together, and they look as if they are not pieced together from different urnas ala Frankenstein, then you can command a good price for it.

Speaking of prices, I have noticed that 10k can get you a repro-kitch urna, while 15k-20k can get you an antique but grada-deficient urna while 35k-50k can get you a genuine (?) deal. But supply and demand can be a bitch, so prices tend to fluctuate. Years before there were a lot of urnas, a glut even, among Manila collectors. Now, you are lucky if you can find a minor piece. So deal or no deal?


I have learned from my online research that there are two types of urnas. One from Northern Luzon and the other from Bohol.  One of the few online people who frequent Pinoy antique forums is Mr. Romeo Allanigue better known among peers as "greyeminence". He commented that the two types of urnas are different in terms of design and structure. He said:

greyeminence's Ilocos urna. No grada here!

"...while most Bohol urnas are of molave due to its abundance in the island, Ilocos urnas are usually of narra. Boholano artisans applied paint directly on wood while the Ilocanos had it primed with gesso.  Bohol urnas look denser and generally, carvings are less refined while ilocos urnas seem lighter because of "calado"-like execution.  Ilocanos applied gold leaf more generously than boholanos - an impression i got from well preserved pieces i've seen."  He added: "While Bohol urnas had vermilion as predominant color, the ones from ilocos is turmeric yellow."

Furthermore, Mr. Alex R. Castro from the site "And All the Angels and Saints", concurred that "the province of Bohol is known for its very distinctive 19th c. urnas that are easily recognizable by their vivid polychromed colors and their simple structure, with parts out together by pegs and joints. Each piece is carved in low relief, with floral and vegetal motifs concentrated on the two side panels anchored with columns, the topperboard and the base."

I admire their insights and perspectives on this subject. It is disheartening to note that such a fascinating form of artwork is sorely lacking of good definitive literature. I hope some kindred soul similar to Cynthia Valdez or Jaime Laya would publish a master opus on this.


Going back to my acquisitions, I can safely say that these two definitely are from Bohol.  The patina is wonderful with the age of the wood showing.  Also the second smaller urna had its paint layers exposed indicating that this is unlikely a one-time painted antiqued counterfeit. On some spots I can even see gold leaf/gold paint jutting out of the vermillion layer. 

I think they are a keeper. And if you can find a good deal, get it.


Other examples of Philippine urnas can be seen here in Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=bohol%20urna

Price: Withheld

My Perfect Swatow Blue and White Bowl

 I went to another dealer yesterday, this time a more reliable and more knowledgeable one.  I was there to pick up my cache of metal age pottery when, as we were chatting, she decided to offer me one of her blue and whites- a nice perfect Swatow bowl.

I first thought she was kidding at first. The bowl was so tempting and she gave it to me at a beginner's price. The bowl itself was probably made in one of the Fujian kilns during the Ming dynasty (before the Ming Gap period), most likely in Zangzhou. This is why many of the Southeast Asian blue and whites came from Zangzhou. Westerners would vulgarly refer to this as "Kitchen Ming"

I love the luster and the sheen on this bowl. Although there's no cracleur to speak of, the kaolin glaze makes the surface unctuous and cool to the touch.  The thing that will clue you that this is a Swatow ceramic is the sandy particles that clung to the foot of the bowl. I also loved the "ram" decoration in cobalt blue.

 This is such a large bowl and a perfect one at that! The condition is perfect except for a hairline crack on the side.

You can check out onlinegalleries.com for an example of a similar bowl. I took the liberty to post that item's pics for easy comparison.  As you can see, it has the same perfect sheen, and a similar design. Its blurb says:

Ming blue and white Swatow bowl made for export. Well potted with a good white glaze to the outside and inside of the bowl. The only decoration is to the bottom of the inside where a quick painting of a qilin is decorated in underglaze blue. Made between 1550 -1600. Underneath there is a deep footrim with kiln grit still adhering to the edge.

This is definitely a keeper. Did you see the price? OMG. It makes one feel lucky to be living here in the Philippines.

Also, for more examples on this collectable ware, I would suggest reading Rita C. Tan's book, "Zangzhou Ware Found in the Philippines". You can order this from its publisher, ArtPostAsia. Highly recommended if you really are into serious collecting of this highly specialized category of antiques.

Acquisition cost of bowl: less than $100. Happy Antiquing!

An Annamese Covered Paste Jar

I am indeed grateful that the Philippines has no prior ceramic industry or else every piece of blue & white ware would become suspect of  being fake.  Hence, the chances of getting a fake export ceramic here in the province of Montemayor is minimal. So, whatever you find in your dealers' shops is most likely real diggings.

This one was acquired by one of my dealers and I've seen this languishing at the shop's curio cabinet for quite some time.  So, I've decided to haggle with my dealer.  Due to the blue-green restored area at the rim, my dealer gave it away for a very nice price.

Pictured above is my find. It is an Annamese blue and white covered box in a circular form with a flattened cover. It has a white stoneware crackled body decorated in cobalt blue underglaze with vegetal and geometrical patterns.  The box is glazed on the inside but has an unglazed interior on the foot. Unfortunately, a significant are on the rim has been "restored."  I hate that concept.  It dates to the 15th century, late Tran dynasty to Early Le dynasty. Usually these are only found in blue and white.  


According to Encarta,  " The area of South East Asia which is now North Vietnam played a significant part in porcelain production from the 14th to the 17th centuries, thanks to abundant supplies of feldspar and kaolin near Hanoi. The Annamese were using cobalt as early as the Chinese (14th century) and fine blue-and-white decorated porcelains were produced in Tho-ha and Bat Trang. The earlier wares closely imitated Chinese, but distinctive characteristics of decoration as well as potting technique had emerged by the 15th century when the best Annamese porcelains were produced. Among the distinctive Annamese products were circular covered boxes, and water droppers in the form of animals."


Due to the "restoration", I acquired this for $12. Happy antiquing!

Ruminations on a Celadon Plate

Celadon for me is a special class of antique ceramics. I find them extra special and desirable. Of course having Ming vases and Qing ceramics are the epitome of collecting, Celadons on the other hand are more accessible, more pedestrian, more humble. But from my readings, their prices are not humble at all.  They are fast becoming, or rather, is already the darling of Chinese export wares here in South East Asia.

These Northern and Southern Song dynasty and Yuan dynasty wares reflect the rich trading history between China and the surrounding Southeast Asian Kingdoms.  This is the main reason why there are a lot of specimens found among the grave pottery here in the Philippines and Indonesia. (Thank our ancestors' practice of burying everything along with their dead.)

This nice little plate was first seen in the same curio cabinet case (a.k.a. platera) as those of the previous entries.  From my research, it is similar to Longquan celadon from the late Yuan dynasty probably 14th -15th century. It has the same lotus-designed incise marks and the same olive green color.  I was thankful that apart from minor surface scratches, this was a perfect specimen.  Although not as heavily designed as those seen in more expensive Celadons, this one for me is perfect- it's cheap and in excellent condition.

More examples of Longquan celadon ware can be seen at the Koh Antique Site.

Acquired for: $19-
Happy Antiquing!

My Annamese Jarlet

What I like about the Philippines is how easily one can get hold of antique ceramics. Although they say it's getting to be very difficult in getting new stocks since most were dug up in the 1950-60s.  Now, it's like waiting for Godot. There are good days and there are bad days, days of plenty and days of empty.  And my dealer endures the same cycle.

When I went there to scour for ceramic finds, I saw this little Annamese jarlet sitting marvelously inside a curio cabinet.  I was already on the tailend of my "shopping" when I inquired about this piece. It was very nice, no restorations whatsoever. The glaze though has degraded a bit, probably from being exposed to sea water.  Also, the base looked suspicious as if it was a bit too polished to make (signifying that this was probably a fake).  Then again, these parts in provincial Philippines, fakes are very very hard to come by- mostly because it's impractical to ship fake Kitchen Ming and SEAsian wares to a provincial city only to be haggled by paupers.  Also, the motif, the ink, the make and the material is consistent with Annamese wares of the 14th-15th centuries.

I got into my haggling protocol and I reminded them that I bought a lot of ceramics today, so they must give me this piece at a very good price. And a very good price indeed.  I thought to myself if I won't buy this, someone else would.

Such wonderful examples of these ceramic types can be seen in the online auction sites and online antique shops. An example of which can be seen here:   http://auction.sedwickcoins.com/Small-Annamese-jarlet-blue-on-cream-color-bird-and-plants-design_i9323160

Acquired for $21-

Happy Antiquing!

Seen Differently, an Anecdote on a Sukhothai Vase

Sometimes you have artifacts which at first you pass over because you see them by their beauty and not by their history. But it takes only a bit of research to change your mind thus, giving such objects a second look. 

A few weeks ago, I spotted this sad looking vase at an antique shop here in my city. It was tucked away at a dark corner with some santos and furniture. I picked it up and looked over it and returned it. It was so plain looking that I felt no collector wanted it. The dealer wanted to dispose it. The dealer said it was included in a cache of diggings that were sold a few months ago. This vase remained unsold.

It must be told that I spend an inordinate amount of time trawling on antique sites and researching Asian ceramics.  I was surprised when browsing at this site, I saw this:

http://maritimeasia.ws/exhib01/pages/p005.html

It turned out that it was indeed a beautiful example of a black iron oxide underglaze ware from the Sukhothai kilns made between the 14th to the 16th centuries. Its base is typical of the Sukhothai clay with heavy potting and a redish buscuit color.

It was so similar to the dealer's vase that I returned immediately to snap it up.  The vase in question was passable enough, a bit chipped on the rim, but the rest were intact. I haggled for the best price and got it for a song.

Acquired for $25

First Off...

This primarily is a basic catalog of my antique "finds" here in the my home province which is heretofore be fictionalized as the province of "Montemayor." I shall endeavor to describe the items in detail, its provenance and acquisition price. I hope this will encourage people to indulge in one of most rewarding of hobbies- antique collecting. Conservation and heritage be damned!