Academia Catavencu
Caricatures of Romanian political figures by Academia Catavencu.
Caricatures of Romanian political figures. Produced in Germany by King Cards for Academia Catavencu, a weekly satirical magazine/website. All the cards have a decorative border. The indices are K, Q, V, A. The box carries a message in Romanian saying that politics can seriously damage your health! See the box►
Each court card and Ace in this pack has a caricature of a Romanian politician, with three further characters on the Jokers. According to a friend of Yasha Beresiner’s, those represented are:-
- Hearts – Ace: Ion Iliescu (first post-communist president). King: Silviu Brucan. Queen: Adrian Nastase (allegedly gay). Jack: Nicolae Vacariou.
- Spades – Ace: Emil Constantinescu (next president). King: Corneliu Coposu. Queen: Zoe Petre. Jack: Victor Ciorbea.
- Diamonds – Ace: Teodor Melescanu. King: Bartholomeu Anania. Queen: Corneliu Vadim-Tudor. Jack: Mugur Isorescu.
- Clubs – Ace: Petre Roman. King: Mircea Ionescu-Quintus. Queen: Ana Blandiana. Jack: Teodor Stolojan.
- Jokers – Left: the face is probably “Nae Catavencu”, a character from a political satire written in 1883 by I.L Caragiale. Middle: Florin Calinescu, actor. Right: Mircea Dinescu, poet/writer.
Above: Caricatures of Romanian political figures by Academia Catavencu. Double-ended courts. 52 cards + 3 Jokers in tuck box. Poker size. Date unknown but after 1991. Purchased in Brasov, Romania, in April 2017.
By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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