Two Silver Diademas
Pair of Philippine Silver Tiaras
1883
bulacan
silver
crown a:
engraved on the rim with "El Pueblo de Bulacán al Sr.
Alcalde Mayor D. Rafael de Ortega,
hoy 23 de Octubre de 1883"
H: 3 1/4" (8 cm) D: 8 1/2" (22 cm)
weight: 102 grams
crown b:
engraved on the rim with "De los principales de esta
Cabecera a la Sra. Dª Carmen Villegas
de Ortega, 15 de Julio de 1883"
H: 3 3/4" (10 cm) D: 8 1/2" (22 cm)
Starting Price: ₱ 120,000
A rare and exceptional example of 19th-century Filipino silversmithing in a civil, rather than religious, context. This matching pair of openwork silver tiaras displays the refined craftsmanship, patience, and skill for which the silversmiths of Bulacán were renowned. The delicate floral designs are finely chased, with intricate naturalistic details that attest to the mastery of local artisans.
One tiara bears the inscription: De los principales de esta Cabecera a la Sra. Dª Carmen Villegas de Ortega, 15 de Julio de 1883. The date marked the eve of the Saint’s day of Carmen, as the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, “name day” of Doña Carmen Villegas. The other tiara reads: El Pueblo de Bulacán al Sr. Alcalde Mayor D. Rafael de Ortega, hoy 23 de Octubre de 1883. The latter date is the eve of Saint Rafael, name day of the mayor of Bulacán, thus making the presentation especially personal.
The presentation of such civil objects by the principalía (local elite) to a Spanish colonial official and his wife was a common occurrence back then, but few items have survive to our time. These gifts reflect the recognition of Don Rafael de Ortega’s active engagement in local governance and the mutual, if unequal, bonds between colonial administrators and the communities they served. Don Rafael de Ortega y Díaz was a civil administrator of the Ministry of Overseas in Madrid, appointed in 1879 as Oficial Segundo for the civil government of the Philippines. In 1880, he served as secretary of the board tasked with establishing a Monte de Piedad in Manila, a charitable institution providing small loans at low or no interest to people in need, using personal belongings as collateral. Ortega drafted the regulations and oversaw the allocation of resources, ensuring the institution’s adherence to its founding mission. That same year, as a member of a commission for the distribution of dowries to poor orphans, he publicly announced and enforced strict eligibility requirements, reflecting his commitment to transparency and fairness in charitable administration. As mayor of Bulacán, Ortega demonstrated diligence in judicial matters, following formal regulations and ensuring due process in legal proceedings, while also acting decisively against crimes affecting local residents. His tenure left a record of active civic engagement and public works, in a town still recovering from the earthquakes of 1880.
By 1890, Ortega was mayor of Cebú, where he played a meaningful role in marking the constitution of the city’s Ayuntamiento. He proposed lasting commemorations of administrative reforms, personally inspected public works such as market construction, and undertook comprehensive reviews of commercial establishments to ensure fair trade practices, making no distinction between classes or nationalities.
These tiaras thus serve not only as superb examples of Filipino silver artistry but also as historical witnesses to the political and social relationships of their time, encapsulating the proactive leading role of the indigenous elite, and the prestige, integration, and public image of a Spanish colonial official and his wife within a provincial Philippine setting.
Lot 86 of the Leon Gallery auction on September 13, 2025. For more information and to place an online bid, please go to www.leon-gallery.com and www.leonexchange.com.
Two Silver Diademas
Pair of Philippine Silver Tiaras
1883
bulacan
silver
crown a:
engraved on the rim with "El Pueblo de Bulacán al Sr.
Alcalde Mayor D. Rafael de Ortega,
hoy 23 de Octubre de 1883"
H: 3 1/4" (8 cm) D: 8 1/2" (22 cm)
weight: 102 grams
crown b:
engraved on the rim with "De los principales de esta
Cabecera a la Sra. Dª Carmen Villegas
de Ortega, 15 de Julio de 1883"
H: 3 3/4" (10 cm) D: 8 1/2" (22 cm)
Starting Price: ₱ 120,000
A rare and exceptional example of 19th-century Filipino silversmithing in a civil, rather than religious, context. This matching pair of openwork silver tiaras displays the refined craftsmanship, patience, and skill for which the silversmiths of Bulacán were renowned. The delicate floral designs are finely chased, with intricate naturalistic details that attest to the mastery of local artisans.
One tiara bears the inscription: De los principales de esta Cabecera a la Sra. Dª Carmen Villegas de Ortega, 15 de Julio de 1883. The date marked the eve of the Saint’s day of Carmen, as the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, “name day” of Doña Carmen Villegas. The other tiara reads: El Pueblo de Bulacán al Sr. Alcalde Mayor D. Rafael de Ortega, hoy 23 de Octubre de 1883. The latter date is the eve of Saint Rafael, name day of the mayor of Bulacán, thus making the presentation especially personal.
The presentation of such civil objects by the principalía (local elite) to a Spanish colonial official and his wife was a common occurrence back then, but few items have survive to our time. These gifts reflect the recognition of Don Rafael de Ortega’s active engagement in local governance and the mutual, if unequal, bonds between colonial administrators and the communities they served. Don Rafael de Ortega y Díaz was a civil administrator of the Ministry of Overseas in Madrid, appointed in 1879 as Oficial Segundo for the civil government of the Philippines. In 1880, he served as secretary of the board tasked with establishing a Monte de Piedad in Manila, a charitable institution providing small loans at low or no interest to people in need, using personal belongings as collateral. Ortega drafted the regulations and oversaw the allocation of resources, ensuring the institution’s adherence to its founding mission. That same year, as a member of a commission for the distribution of dowries to poor orphans, he publicly announced and enforced strict eligibility requirements, reflecting his commitment to transparency and fairness in charitable administration. As mayor of Bulacán, Ortega demonstrated diligence in judicial matters, following formal regulations and ensuring due process in legal proceedings, while also acting decisively against crimes affecting local residents. His tenure left a record of active civic engagement and public works, in a town still recovering from the earthquakes of 1880.
By 1890, Ortega was mayor of Cebú, where he played a meaningful role in marking the constitution of the city’s Ayuntamiento. He proposed lasting commemorations of administrative reforms, personally inspected public works such as market construction, and undertook comprehensive reviews of commercial establishments to ensure fair trade practices, making no distinction between classes or nationalities.
These tiaras thus serve not only as superb examples of Filipino silver artistry but also as historical witnesses to the political and social relationships of their time, encapsulating the proactive leading role of the indigenous elite, and the prestige, integration, and public image of a Spanish colonial official and his wife within a provincial Philippine setting.
Lot 86 of the Leon Gallery auction on September 13, 2025. For more information and to place an online bid, please go to www.leon-gallery.com and www.leonexchange.com.