WHYTE'S THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2018 AT 11AM

History 93 1916 (24 April) THE PROCLAMATION OF THE IRISH REPUBLIC. An original example of this historic document. An original example of this historic document published by the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army acting as “The Provisional Government of the Republic of Ireland” dated Monday 24th April 1916. This is the document that launched an uprising that changed Ireland forever. Comparable to the Declaration of the United States of America, it is an historic relic of immense importance. John O’Connor in The Story of the 1916 Proclamation, Abbey Press, Dublin 1986 stated that there were 17 examples extant, of which at least six are in public institutions such as Dáil Éireann, The National Museum and University College Dublin. Two also exist in British Government archives and there is one in the Royal Collection in Buckingham Palace. Since 1986 about a dozen others have come to light from the original printing of less than 500. Most were destroyed during and after the Rising. Printed on poor quality paper those pasted to outdoor locations disintegrated easily. This example has all the typographical characteristics listed by O’Connor q.v. and J. J. Bouch in The Republican Proclamation of Easter Monday 1916, (A paper read before the Bibliographical Society of Ireland, 25 March 1935, Three Candles Press, Dublin 1936, reprinted 1954). Printed by letterpress on porous paper of a greyish white shade. the printed area is 29 by 18.25 inches. This example was restored and conserved to museum standard in 2005, and is framed and glazed. This is the ultimate Irish collectible, sans pareil. Provenance Nathaniel Ross (1863-1925), Cork; Thence by descent; Whyte’s, 12 June 2005, lot 143; Private collection. Exhibited The Print Museum, Dublin, on loan since 2006. Sold prior to auction