Nicolae Ceausescu auction - in pictures

African leopard skins received as gifts are exhibited before the auction Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images A bronze yak given by Mao Zedong to Ceausescu Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images Items belonging to the former communist dictator Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP Communist era posters advertising a railway worker school, fresh fruit and a hydro-electric plant Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP Gold buttons belonging to Ceausescu Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images A large carpet depicting Ceausescu and the word 'peace' on display Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP Two copies of Time magazine showing, left, from 1948, Romanian communist party leader Ana Pauker, and, right, from 1966, Nicolae Ceausescu Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images The two highest decorations from communist era - orders Steaua Romaniei clasa-Ia, left, (Romania's star first class) and Steaua Romaniei clasa-IIa (Romania's star second class), Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images Enameled and silvered doves given to Ceausescu by the former Iranian Shah Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images Various pictures of high ranking communists and Ceausescu (centre) are exhibited Photograph: Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images