Provenance:
Property of Leonor Flaviana Oreta Tecson (1905 - 1974) given to her favorite sibling, Antolin M. Oreta

ABOUT THE WORK

In Baliuag, Bulacan located in the plains of Central Luzon, a furniture– making tradition flourished from around 1800 until after World War II. The furniture designs were basically European neoclassical in style but specifically American Federal in derivation, the woods used were golden narra and kamagong, the inlaid decorations were carabao bone and kamagong inlays. (Some very rare pieces were decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay). Baliuag, Bulacan produced this type of neoclassical, bone and kamagong–inlaid chest of drawers during the third quarter of the nineteenth century: the top a single piece of “golden narra” wood, with conventional drawers underneath. (The top drawer is of larger proportions.) Its case is flanked by four turned and thinly–reeded kamagong columns attached under the candle drawers and to the apron, the case set on an apron and supported by four bun/rounded feet. The four sides of the case are decorated with a series of round bone discs set on kamagong strips. The drawers are embellished with bone and kamagong line inlays simulating panels, accented by a series of diamond–shaped bone inlays. Under the four drawers is an apron adorned with diamond– and lozenge–shaped carabao bone inlays in an interesting geometric pattern. The general look of the Baliuag comoda is reminiscent of an American Federal commode. THE ORETA FAMILY OF MALABON by Augusto Marcelino Reyes Gonzalez III Like several clans with old fortunes in trading and fisheries, the Oreta family had their beginnings in Old Malabon and Tambobong (once joined with Navotas) during the middle of the 1800s. Their origins can be traced to the distant island of Maysilo, where the Augustinians established a pioneering “Asilo” in 1580 and where the Jesuits had a convent and resthouse now in ruins; Maysilo was also where Atty Alfonso Ponce–Enrile raised his family prewar. The Oretas are descended from the Sevillas, one of Malabon’s oldest families. Other Sevilla descendants are the Maronillas, the Lapuses, and the Gozons. High society icon Conchitina Sevilla–Bernardo is a famous Sevilla descendant. A handsome, 1920s family house in Old Santa Mesa, Manila --- just one of several in the clan --- has yielded many treasures which tell the story of the +170 years of existence of a prosperous Malabon family. Early tester beds, tables, and chairs (1840s), elegant “Ah Tay” style furniture (1870s–80s), Chinese mother–of– pearl inlaid furniture from the late Ch’ing dynasty (1890s), Filipino art nouveau furniture by Isabelo Tampinco (1910s), imposing 1920s furniture from the Bilibid Viejo workshops, various antique European and Asian decorations and important artworks offer a rare glimpse into traditionally reclusive, quiet, trans generational Malabon wealth. There is an 1880s oil portrait of Dona Maria Salome Loreto Ibaviosa y Sevilla de Oreta, wife of the clan progenitor Don Canuto Oreta y Sevilla (“Don Otong”), obviously painted by the Filipino old master Antonio Malantic. The existence of that antique oil portrait alone speaks volumes about the long history of the Oreta family. The Oreta family’s early agricultural fortunes from the late 1800s paved the way for new professional directions as several members of the family became doctors, lawyers, and engineers of distinction from the early 1900s onwards. Postwar, prosperous businesses and networks provided the platform for political involvements which have figured prominently from the 1980s to the present day, not only in Malabon but nationwide. Famous figures in the family include the patriarch Antolin Marcellano Ibaviosa Oreta (o1909–+2003); Dr Prospero Maria Oreta MD, FPCS (o1913–+66); Engineer Antolin M Oreta Sr (A M Oreta & Co Engineers/Builders/Contractors, founded 1946), whose successful career started prewar with famous contractor Pedro Siochi, proceeded postwar to the movie theaters of the Rufino family, and on to many Makati projects in the 1970s; Malabon Mayor (1988– 94) and 1st MMDA Chairman (1994–98) Prospero Isidro Alejo Oreta (o1939–+2011); Malabon Mayor (2004–12) Canuto Senen Adriano Oreta (“Tito”) (o1939–+2012); businessman Antolin M Adriano Oreta Jr; Philippine Senator (1987–98) Maria Teresa Aquino–Oreta [Mrs Antolin M Adriano Oreta Jr] (o1944–+2020); Malabon Mayor (2012–present ) Antolin Aquino Oreta III (“LenLen”) (o 1971).