PROVENANCE Alcala–Ilao family. The Alcala and the Ilao are two of the old families of Candelaria town, Quezon. The two well–educated families produced scions who became successful doctors, lawyers, judges, engineers, and professors. The Alcala of Candelaria are descended from the landed and affluent Alcala of adjacent Sariaya town; they were a seminal “hacendero” family of the late 1800s responsible for some of the town’s grander, intermarried fortunes: Gala (Teresa Alcala de Gala), Rodriguez, Reynoso, de Villa, Enriquez, Emralino, et al. In fact, there are artistic linkages by way of furniture preferences among those prominent families. The Moises Galas have single chairs of similar design in “golden narra” wood (stained dark; the rest of the suite was destroyed in a postwar fire); the Catalino Rodriguezes have 2 suites of similar design in “golden narra” wood (stained dark); the Gregoria Galas have an entire suite of similar design also in “kamagong” wood — sofa, two armchairs, 4 single chairs.

Kamagong wood (Diospyros philippinensis/discolor/blancoi)