​More than 30 historical objects of the Ceaușescu family will be auctioned next week, on Friday, May 19, as part of an event dedicated to the last century of Romanian history, including the antipodes of our evolution, monarchy and communism, at the Art and History Auction . Numerous works relate to the controversial couple Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu, who ruled Romania for more than 20 years, which reopens a window – and several angles – into an increasingly less recent past, filled with fog, but also objective, through the passage of time, to the decantation of meanings . Items of clothing that belonged to Nicolae Ceausescu and a doctoral thesis signed by Elena Ceausescu, as well as posters or photographs signed by the dictatorial couple, offer glimpses into their private lives, the power they wielded, their thinking and the way they operated.

Elena Ceausescu’s doctoral dissertation in chemistry (on the subject “Polymerization of Isoprene”) is linked to the name of Elena Ceausescu at the auction, as a result of which Elena Ceausescu received the title of doctor. The work has a starting price of 300 euros and is part of a small series of 3 printed original copies, the production of which was mandatory according to the regulations in force at the time. Elena Ceaușescu’s doctorate in chemistry caused controversy and rumors, which were quickly suppressed by the regime’s forceful means. The doctoral dissertation opened a long way to the so-called scientific initiation for Elena Ceaușescu – the director of the Institute of Chemical Research in Bucharest, as well as a member of the Romanian Academy.

A historical item that appears in vintage photographs is a cotton men’s cap that belonged to Nicolae Ceausescu. The starting price of the clothing accessory is 600 euros, accompanied by a RAPPS certificate issued on the date of sale at auctions in 1991-1993. A RAPPS-certified PCR silk flag was also raised at the Ceausescu family residence, which has a starting price of €500 at the May 19 auction.

During the event on May 19, a unique collector’s bottle of “Ceausescu” vodka will also be put up for auction. Released in a limited edition in the early 90s, the drink has a starting price of only 35 euros and is intact. It should be noted that in recent years similar copies from a small edition were sold on the market at a price of several thousand euros. From a similar registry is a globe-shaped bar with a lamp, carved from wood, decorated with a map of Romania, donated by the PCR Bihor branch to Nicolae Ceausescu and has a starting price of 200 euros.

Other items in the auction include a unique photograph of Nicolae Ceausescu in a mine pushing a van. The image was taken by renowned photographer Armand Rosenthal and has a starting price of just €50. At a starting price of 200 euros, 22 photos of Nicolae Ceausescu after the earthquake in 1977 will be put up for auction. A fragment of Nicolae Ceausescu’s correspondence is a lot consisting of two business cards sent by the former dictator George Macovescu. The starting price of the exhibits is only 75 euros, they come from the collection of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Macovescu, to whom business cards were addressed with thanks.

Exhibits that belonged to the Ceaușescu family, as well as 300 other historical objects that recreate Romania’s history from the monarchy to communism, can be viewed in an exhibition at the Cesianu-Rakovice Palace until May 19. “A century of history – from monarchy to communism. The “Art-Historical Auction” will be held in the Timed Online Auction format, which provides for the auction event to be held exclusively online, without the presence of an auction commissioner, which is automatically controlled by the algorithm of the Artmark Live 2.0 platform. More information about the limited time online auction format and the rules that apply to this type of auction can be found here.

Original photograph of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a mine pushing a wagon, ca. 1970 year

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