Historical Objects of Ceausescu Couple Auctioned in Bucharest

More than 30 historical objects of the Ceaușescu family are being auctioned on Friday, May 19, in Bucharest, in an event dedicated to the last century of Romanian history. Numerous pieces are linked to the communist couple Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu, who ruled Romania for over 20 years, which reopened a window – and several angles of view – to an increasingly less recent past.

Articles of clothing that belonged to Nicolae Ceaușescu, the doctoral thesis signed by Elena Ceaușescu, and posters or photographs signed by the dictatorial couple offer perspectives on their private life, the power they exercised, their thinking and their way of operating.

Elena Ceaușescu’s doctoral thesis in chemistry (with the theme “Polymerization of isoprene”) is linked to Elena Ceaușescu’s name in the auction, as a result of which Elena Ceaușescu obtained the title of doctor.

The piece has a starting price of 300 euros and is part of a small series of 3 typed, original copies, the production of which was mandatory according to the regulations in force at the time. Elena Ceaușescu’s chemistry doctorate aroused controversy and rumours, quickly suppressed by the regime’s means of force. The doctoral thesis opened a long road to a so-called scientific consecration for Elena Ceaușescu – director of the Chemical Research Institute in Bucharest, but also a member of the Romanian Academy.

A historical piece in vintage photos is the men’s cotton cap that belonged to Nicolae Ceaușescu.

The starting price of the clothing accessory is 600 euros, accompanied by the certificate issued on its sale through the 1991-1993 auctions. In the residence of the Ceaușescu family, the silk Romanian Communist Party flag was also flown, also accompanied by the certificate, which, in the May 19 auction, has a starting price of 500 euros.

During the event on May 19, a unique collection bottle of “Ceaușescu” Vodka will also be auctioned.

The drink, in limited edition in the early 90s, has a starting price of only 35 euros and is intact. It should be noted that, in recent years, similar copies from the small edition have been sold in the market for several thousand euros. From a similar register is the bar in the shape of a globe with a lamp carved in wood, decorated with a map of Romania, with a starting price of 200 euros.

Among other notable pieces in the auction is a unique photograph depicting Nicolae Ceaușescu pushing a van in the mine.

The famous photographer Armand Rosenthal captured the image with a starting price of only 50 euros. For the starting price of 200 euros, 22 photos illustrating Nicolae Ceaușescu after the earthquake in 1977 will be auctioned. A fragment of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s correspondence is the lot consisting of two business cards sent by the former dictator to George Macovescu. The pieces have a starting price of only 75 euros and come from the collection of former Foreign Minister George Macovescu, to whom the business cards accompanied by messages of thanks were addressed.

The pieces that belonged to the Ceaușescu family, along with 300 other historical objects that recreate Romania’s history from the monarchy to communism, can be viewed in the exhibition at the Cesianu-Racoviță Palace until May 19. “A century of history – from monarchy to communism. “Art and History Auction” will take place in the Timed Online Auction format, which involves the conduct of the auction event exclusively online, without the presence of the auction commissioner, being automatically managed by the algorithm of the Artmark Live 2.0 platform.