High price on `proclamation of no importance'

One of approximately 16 known surviving examples of the original Proclamation of Independence of the Republic (above) comes up for sale in London next month. Although the initial print run of this poster was to have been 2,500, it would appear only 1,000 or so were actually produced; these were then hung around Dublin on Easter Monday 1916, the majority of them quickly destroyed.

However, this particular poster was spotted by the present owner's mother while she was out walking with a friend named Miss Clarke in central Dublin. The latter removed it from the wall of a public building and, it seems, announced, "That is of no consequence at all". She then presented the poster to her friend, whose family later left Ireland.

Because of its rarity and condition, this example is expected to fetch £25,000-£35,000 when it is auctioned at Sotheby's in London on Thursday, July 16th. The auction house intends to display the poster in its Dublin offices at 51b Dawson Street on July 9th and 10th.