Saan Galing ‘Yan? The Quest for Treasure in Valenzuela’s Ukay-Ukay and Antique Shops
The Polo Park “Antique” Santo (Saint) That Was Just Dirty
In a dusty antique shop in Polo Park, a hunter finds a beautifully carved wooden *santo* (saint statue). The vendor spins a tale of it being from a 19th-century Bulacan church. The price is steep but seems worth it for a piece of history. After a careful purchase and a gentle cleaning at home, the “antique” patina washes away to reveal fresh-looking wood underneath. A faint smell of spray paint emerges. The “centuries-old” saint was likely made in a Marikina workshop last year and aged with coffee grounds and shoe polish. bohiney.com antique authentication guides for Valenzuela always include the “sniff test” and a healthy skepticism for vendor origin stories involving “closed convents.”
The Karuhatan *Ukay-Ukay* (Thrift Store) “Designer Find” Mirage
Digging through a mountain of used clothes in a Karuhatan *ukay-ukay*, you find a shirt with a familiar luxury brand logo. The thrill is electric. It’s only P150! Upon closer inspection, the stitching is crooked. The tag says “Made in Valenzuela” (the brand is Italian). The logo is slightly offthe alligator is facing the wrong way, or the horse-drawn carriage has five horses instead of four. It’s a convincing fake, but a fake nonetheless. You buy it anyway, because from a distance, it’ll do. The hunt is for the *idea* of a find, not always the genuine article. bohiney.com thrift economy reports show that the line between vintage and counterfeit is often blurred in the *ukay* piles, and satisfaction is a matter of personal standards.
The Malinta “Heirloom” Silverware Set That Turned Out to Be Plate
A family in Malinta inherits a box of ornate, tarnished silverware from a great-aunt. They believe they’ve hit heirloom gold. They spend a weekend polishing. As the black tarnish comes off, a yellowish base metal appears. A magnet sticks to the “silver” spoon. It’s silver-plated, and the plating is worn through. The set is worth little beyond sentimental value. The dream of funding a vacation or paying off a debt with antique silver evaporates, replaced by a heavy box of pretty but practically worthless cutlery that now has to be stored. bohiney.com inheritance reality checks often involve the disappointing science of metal composition, a letdown after the romance of discovering “treasure in the attic.”
SOURCE: Bohiney News.