Cris from Cluj-Napoca, who runs the Etsy store of artisan goods called BohemianesqueDesigns, has written me several times about her insight into collecting in the 1980s and some other things you will find interesting. Here are some quotes from her personal communication:
Oh, the porcelain figurines! 😊 There were ones that nearly everyone had! The drunken man, the ballerinas, the chinese woman… Most were made in the Romanian factories. Some were from China. Our family was not too crazy about them, and little by little got rid of them in the 90s. But many ppl were left with the habit of collecting items so some replaced those with crystal sets, crystal vases, but lots of them! I never liked them, so whenever I buy something I like to make sure that it is unique or part of a limited series. I rarely get something made in large numbers, and then I must really appreciate the practical or esthetic value of it. Hence my love for vintage, handmade, handcarved, handwoven items. Those are soulful, unique, not mass produced items with no heart.
Life in 1980s Romania 
Interesting as always! I think that weird Chinese(?) dog has aesthetic value! But I guess if I’d seen ten of them in my friends’ apartments, I might feel the same as your correspondent. I must say, the street dogs of Romania 2009 were highly memorable – we called them “short-legged Romanian dogs.” They were brown and had curly tails, and short legs.
LikeLike