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Kamagong Armchair

A kamagong Carlos Trece armchair

Estimate: PHP 15,000 - 17,000

Early 1900s
Laguna
Kamagong wood, cane or solihiya
125 x 50 x 53 cm (49 x 20 x 21 in)

Provenance:
From the heirs of Don Vedasto Cadeliña, former mayor of Lucban, Tayabas (now Quezon province)
The Illustrious Cadeliña – Veluz family of Lucban

Don Vedasto Cadeliña was born in 1873 in Lucban, Tayabas (now Quezon province) to Don Iñigo Cadeliña and Hermogena Villaseñor. He was a pharmacist and served as mayor (gobernadorcillo) of Lucban town for two terms – from 1905 to 1908 and from 1917 to 1922. As mayor, he led the construction of the Apolinario dela Cruz Waterworks System and the concrete Kamatian Bridge. He was married to Pacencia Sanchez and had three children: Vicenta Cadeliña who married Dr. Dominador Veluz; Imelda Cadeliña who died young and did not have family; and Jose H.N. Cadeliña who married Magdalena Saliendra but died at the age of 26 in 1934. During Don Vedasto’s first tenure as mayor, Manuel L. Quezon was governor of Tayabas province from 1906 to 1907. A good friend and confidant of Don Vedasto, Quezon, who would later become President of the Philippine Commonwealth, and his wife Aurora were regular visitors to the Cadeliña house, which was built in the 1880s. In numerous occasions when they needed to spend the night in Lucban on official visits, the couple would always be allocated the master's bedroom to stay in. The same bed, aparador, and armchair that the Quezon couple used have remained in that bedroom until recently.

Don Vedasto was known to be passionately nationalistic and was an advocate of Dr. Jose Rizal to be proclaimed as National Hero by the then new American colonial government - an honor that was eventually granted in 1901 by Governor General William Howard Taft. Indeed, Don Vedasto’s admiration for Rizal was such that his only son born in 1908 was named Jose. Interestingly, underscoring the abiding Rizalian interest of the family, Don Vedasto's cousin, Ysmael Villaseñor, participated in a competition that attracted Filipino and European sculptors to build the monument to Rizal which was to be erected in Manila. His bozeto or scale model was among the 40 finalists, but failed to win the contest. In the end he built a Rizal monument in front of the Lucban municipio which was just a stone’s throw away from Don Vedasto’s house. Many regard this monument as the best Rizal monument anywhere in the world.

Don Vedasto’s erudite interests and love for excellent local craftsmanship and aesthetics, unwavering admiration for Rizal, and inherent mindfulness of the welfare of his family were reflected in the design of the furniture pieces contained in his household. He died in 1934.

Salcedo Auctions proudly offers from the estate of Don Vedasto Cadeliña this selection of four specially commissioned pieces steeped in history and tradition, each with unique design elements while sharing between them such commonalities as materials used and design motifs that collectively complement each other, thus comprising one remarkable collection.

King Charles or Carlos III chairs, named after the Spanish king who reigned in the mid to late 18th century, traditionally have tall vertical backs, carved stiles capped by finials, majestic crest, lions decorating the arms and feet, and upholstered back and seat. The misnomered Carlos XIII or Carlos Trece chairs widely known in the Philippines were inspired by these royal chairs, but reinterpreted in a more restrained Neoclassical style that is more suitable to the local aesthetics and climate.

This armchair, previously in the master bedroom, has a foliated scroll crest centering a sunflower (the same motif found in the bed’s headboard), round stiles with turned rings topped by finials, undulating arms, and round tapering legs with ball and ring turnings, connected by X-stretcher. The seat and double-sided back are woven tightly with cane or solihiya. In well-kept condition, the beautiful grain and marbling effect color of tiger kamagong wood have remained shiny and unadulterated.

Lot 128 of the Salcedo Auctions auction on 3 June 2023. Please see www.salcedoauctions.com for more information.

Taken on: May 22, 2023

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Sets appears in: • Chairs, Settees, and Stools

Groups appears in: • Philippine Heritage Furniture

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