We still can’t get enough of the expensive bilao, so we searched for more pricey Filipino products online
Social media lit up recently courtesy of a bilao, a very expensive bilao that is. But as it turns out, there are more than a few of these expensive ordinary Pinoy items on the internet.
The native tray made of bamboo used to winnow rice became a trending topic on social media after a Twitter user posted a bilao being sold by US home furnishing store chain Pottery Barn as a “wall art” for $299, or roughly P14,000.
ROUND BAMBOO WALL ART IM SCREAMING pic.twitter.com/pm2DqO1Ksq
— Saiki Kusuo (@zourrymilf) May 12, 2021
The reaction was very much like the stir in 2019 caused by Muji’s P365 bath dipper, or in local parlance, tabo.
For no particular nor profound reason whatsoever, we decided to scour the web to look for more mundane yet expensive artifacts. Unlike the items being sold by Muji or Pottery Barn, all of these are being sold on Etsy, which means the possible premium for these products is that they are handmade or of vintage quality, putting a bit of extra in ordinary things.
Giant dried palm leaves
Are you familiar with the plants just outside some homes with gigantic leaves? Probably the big leaves that our lolas or moms just throw away because it looks pretty nasty just lying around our backyards? Well, this wall decoration right here costs P 3,015.08.
The Abaniko
A native fan made from the leaves of anahaw, the abaniko has been used to keep ourselves cool. At some neighborhood barbecue joints, they are also sometimes even used to fan the flames. This particular native Filipino fan we saw is being sold for P 2,148.44 per set of 3.
Sungka
A game between two players, sungka is a traditional Filipino game. This Sungka board, however, is anything but ordinary or traditional as its board is of rustic dark walnut and is made in the USA and costs around P6,281.
Vintage Filipino Carved Wood Spoon and Fork
The large wooden spoon and fork is a usual fixture in the kitchen or dining area of a traditional Filipino ancestral home. But because it is reportedly an ancient piece, this carved wood spoon and fork retails for P3,600.
Coconut Bowls
Coconut shells, like the tree where it came from, can have various uses, from a simple storage receptacle, decorative item, or, in some cases, as an eating bowl. These coconut shell bowls, which come with coconut spoons, cost P2,723.35.
The Walis
This walis tambo is being marketed as the “Handmade Retro Bamboo & Grass Broom.” This is the cleaning tool almost all households here in the Philippines have. But this walis, compared to the usual ones being sold at the market, costs P1,457.29.
