Amazing and extensive collections would greet any visitors or friends who had been invited to visit at the husband and wife house within the heart of Quezon City’s entertainment and restaurant district.

century-old altar table with intricate carvings and details

Mesa de Altar

They had their own special places atop altar tables ( mesa de altar) –which became a standard piece of furniture in the homes of Filipino- Catholic families. They are called commodas. These furniture pieces also double as functional storage space.

Most commodes had marble tops, with some were fitted with pairs of doors, the trend have started in France during the middle part of the 17th century and gradually spread to Europe and the colonies.

The altar table have influences of Chinese, Portuguese, Mexican and Spanish. Most preferred are the hardwood made from narra, ebony, yakal or kamagong wood.

wooden religious statues and images

They have extensive collection, some of which are family heirloom pieces handed down by their parents and collected for more than 50 years ! That was before the great Typhoon Ketsana ( ONDOY ) hit Metro Manila and inundated almost all their books, wooden items, figurines and among other stuff.

The first floor was badly flooded and they have to throw away at least 1 small truckload of those item. Some small items were stolen by the people that they have hired during the cleaning process.

several religious wooden statues and trophies

But what remained are still amazing to behold and treasure. Some were gifts from their friends , family and love ones. The couple are also visual artists, philanthropist plant lovers at heart.

primitive looking religious containers or urnas ( left- Saint Joseph with child jesus. right- Saint Micheal the Archangel ) These are about a century -old, family heirloom pieces inherited from their parents.

Religious Containers

The start of the Spanish colonial era in the late-16th century. Catholic religious images made from local hardwood, softwood, elephant ivory became common. The more elaborate wooden images and ivory faced images are usually reserve for the church and the rich families who can afford these items. The religious images are richly embroidered with gold thread and decorated with diamantes and semi-precious stones with silver or copper aureole.

Santo Niño ( possibly carved from elephant ivory with beaten silver crown and pedestal)

Some images made from ivory and other materials are also imported from other religious centers like Macao, Goa ( India), Spain, Portugal and even Mexico.

The common people also have their simple carved wooden religious statues made from other wooden materials. Some preferred batikuling, santol, langka ( jackfruit), yakal.

l-r Our lady of Antipolo, Immaculate Conception, Immaculate Conception, Santo Niño , Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Lourdes

The collector friend had amass 3 religious altar table and 5 religious URNAS.

Note: ( for the purpose of their safety and privacy- The author prefers not to name the collector friend who prefers to be anonymous).