Ceausescu Auction in Romania
Auction house Artmark opened up the possessions of the late communist dictator for public auction, the first of its kind for a decade. Some of the memorabilia sold at the auction included a leopard skin and a bronze yak (which sold for 12 000 euro) given to Ceausescu by Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong. Also sold were a pair of silver enamelled doves, which were a gift from the late Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
During his reign over Romania from 1965 to 1989, Ceausescu and his wife (who were both executed in the 1989 revolution) lived in luxury while Romanians struggled with basic human needs.