BRIDGING THE GAP
Nanet's porcelain heritage house
For connoisseurs of porcelain wares, an interesting trove of treasures can be found in the house of the amiable Dr. Neyce "Nanet" Defensor-Roillo, a dentist by profession and happily married to another dentist. The house is situated at the corner of Fajardo Extension in Sambag, Jaro, Iloilo City, about twenty meters from the Diversion. The collection consists of Chinese, Vietnamese and Siamese wares, ranging from porcelain plates to large secondary burial jars, and several curio objects, both imported and locally manufactured.
The most significant part of Nanet's collection involves medium-size porcelain jars, most of which when judged from their designs and colors, are of the various periods of imperial rule in old China, but mostly of the Sung and Ming dynasties. Indeed, the colors of the valuable objects themselves--blue, green, white, brown, violet and red -- generally indicate how old they are and how much are they priced.
It is believed that white vitrified ceramic was evolved by Chinese potters about 900 A.D. It was not invented but developed out of stoneware pottery. There are three kinds of porcelain: hard-paste or true porcelain, soft-paste or artificial, and English bone china. Hard-paste porcelain consists of china clay (kaolin) and rock finely mixed and fired to a high degree of heat. Soft-paste porcelain differs from hard-paste in that the clay or kaolin is mixed with sand and lime before firing. Bone porcelain is an 18th century English invention using bone ash as flux. China was at the height of its porcelain glory during the time of the Sung and Ming dynasties.
For antique lovers and those with a sufficient background in history and anthropology, the collection is a fulfilling feast to the eyes. Other than the dominant porcelain plates and jars, there is a wide array of other interesting bits and pieces well arranged all over the house. There are small statues of Chinese, Siamese, Burmese and Vietnamese manufacture, as well as a rare and very well-chiseled attractive 100-hands Buddha. In addition, there are miniature Buddha statues in various postures and a good number of porcelain flower vases of various designs, shapes and colors.
Neatly displayed all over the place is an assortment of other families and not-familiar objects, among them, monkey jars, old glass lamps, old wine jars, and European-manufactured old beer bottles. In addition, there is an assortment of wine glasses, stylistic water pitchers, egg-shape large porcelain containers, dragon porcelain figures, old cookie jars, several tea porcelain sets, old sugar vats, and even unglazed locally manufactured jars taken from Islas Gigantes.
Antique objects made of wood are also prominent in the place. Very impressive area a 100-year kamagong table set and a blue-glazed porcelain table set. Two wooden bauls or traditional chests, old wooden benches, and even an old wooden cane are also on display.
Not to be ignored is a number of framed paintings and an assortment of containers of various shapes and sizes.
Nanet, the sweet and comely lady dentist-antique collector beams with pride as she enthusiastically shows and talks about her rich collection. Her very supportive hubby, fondly called Dodo, just smiles as he helps her show their visitors around the house-turned museum. With the considerable volume of the collection that keeps on increasing through the years, plans are on foot to possibly expand the area for display. If and when this will materialize, the collection may eventually be opened for general public viewing.