03/09/2026
Household Antiques & Heirlooms
Felice Sta. Maria
Photography by Ben A. Laxina
GCF Books | Manila, 1983 | 303 pages | Hardcover
A landmark work on the material culture of the Filipino home.
Household Antiques and Heirlooms by Felice Sta. Maria, with photographs by Ben A. Laxina, is a richly illustrated survey of the furnishings and possessions found in affluent Philippine households during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rather than merely cataloguing antiques, Sta. Maria places these objects within the social history of the Filipino home—showing how furniture, tableware, lighting, clothing, toys, kitchen implements, and decorative objects formed part of an elaborate culture of hospitality, domesticity, and celebration.
The book takes the reader through an extraordinary range of objects: period furniture, lamps and lighting fixtures, glassware, china and silver, artworks and decorative pieces, toys, clothing, and kitchenware, among others. It also offers fascinating observations on the origins and everyday use of objects that have since become recognizable features of Philippine antique culture.
One of the book’s recurring revelations is just how thoroughly the well-appointed Filipino household depended upon imported goods—from bathtubs and thimbles to glassware, furniture, and household implements. Sta. Maria’s observations are particularly interesting for collectors because they illuminate not only the objects themselves, but also the commercial networks and changing tastes that brought them into Philippine homes.
The book also touches upon the history of the Philippine antique trade, tracing the movement of these objects from the old commercial districts of Manila to the antique and flea-market trade that developed in later decades. It is therefore valuable not only as a coffee-table volume, but also as a reference on Philippine decorative arts, domestic history, and material culture.
Beautifully photographed by Ben A. Laxina, the volume captures the character of these objects while preserving a fascinating record of a bygone Filipino lifestyle. The work has subsequently become a useful reference for students, collectors, dealers, and enthusiasts of Philippine antiques. The book is catalogued by the Ortigas Foundation Library under Antiques—Philippines and Heirlooms—Philippines.
NBDB National Book Award for Art, 1983
Condition: Mint condition — no markings, annotations, or other issues noted.
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 303
Publisher: GCF Books
Publication: Manila, 1983
Language: English
Price: ₱4,500 + shipping
A particularly nice copy for a Filipiniana collection, Philippine decorative-arts library, antique reference collection, or coffee-table collection.
