Antique Victorican Rubaiyat Omar Khayyam Edward FitzGerald Gilt Art Nouveau Book For Sale

A wonderfully decorative antique edition of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, the celebrated Persian poetry rendered into English by Edward FitzGerald and presented here in a particularly attractive early-20th-century pictorial cloth binding.

Estimated circa 1905–1915, this is exactly the sort of elaborate gift-book edition that helped turn the Rubáiyát into a cultural phenomenon during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras.

And what a cover.

The tan cloth front board is extensively decorated in blue, black, muted orange and gold, with an exotic Persian-inspired architectural frame surrounding a full-length portrait of Omar Khayyam. He is appropriately depicted holding a wine cup in one hand and a book in the other — an especially fitting visual reference to the philosophical mixture of wine, poetry, mortality, love and learning for which FitzGerald\'s Rubáiyát became famous.

Above him is the large gilt title:

The surrounding floral scrollwork has a strong Art Nouveau / Persian Revival / Orientalist aesthetic, making this a beautiful display book even before it is opened.

The decoration continues onto the spine, which bears the title along with floral devices, an illustrated portrait medallion and the wonderful period description:

That description isn\'t merely romantic publisher\'s copy. Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) really was a remarkable Persian mathematician, astronomer, philosopher and poet. His work in mathematics included important studies of cubic equations, while his astronomical work was associated with the highly sophisticated Jalali calendar.

Edward FitzGerald\'s English Rubáiyát first appeared in 1859, initially attracting remarkably little attention. Its fortunes changed dramatically after the poetry was discovered and championed by literary figures, eventually becoming one of the most famous works of translated/adapted poetry in the English-speaking world.

By the turn of the 20th century, the Rubáiyát had become a publishing sensation.

Publishers competed to produce increasingly beautiful editions — illustrated books, miniature books, deluxe bindings and elaborate gift editions — and this handsome pictorial-cloth example belongs squarely to that fascinating period.

FitzGerald\'s interpretation transformed Omar into something of a Victorian literary icon: a philosopher contemplating the brevity of life while celebrating friendship, beauty, love and wine.

Among the work\'s most enduring imagery is the famous vision of simple earthly happiness — a book of verse, bread, wine and a beloved companion beneath the bough.

Another of its great recurring ideas is wonderfully timeless: the present moment is fleeting, tomorrow uncertain, and life is meant to be lived while we possess it.

More than a century later, it isn\'t difficult to understand why Victorian and Edwardian readers became obsessed with it.

This particular edition has especially strong shelf and display appeal.

Features include:

• Original tan cloth hardcover binding
• Elaborate pictorial front cover
• Full-length illustrated portrait of Omar Khayyam
• Persian / Middle Eastern inspired architectural decoration
• Art Nouveau-style floral and scrolling ornament
• Gilt cover lettering
• Blue, black and muted orange printed decoration
• Fully decorated spine
• Small illustrated portrait medallion on spine
• “Astronomer Poet of Persia” spine inscription
• Translation by Edward FitzGerald
• Gilt top page edge
• Plain tan cloth rear board
• Estimated early 20th century, circa 1905–1915

The gilt top edge is particularly attractive and reinforces the fact that this was produced as a handsome presentation/gift volume rather than merely an inexpensive utilitarian reading copy.

Good antique condition overall with genuine age and character.

The pictorial front cover remains remarkably attractive, retaining strong blue coloration, visible orange accents and bright gilt title lettering.

There is expected age-related toning/soiling to the light-colored cloth, along with scattered spotting, rubbing and general shelf wear.

Corners and spine ends show wear, including some bumping/fraying.

Please specifically note the small worn/frayed area along the rear spine joint, clearly photographed. There is also wear along the spine edges and at the head and foot.

The rear cloth board shows general age toning and light marks.

The gilt top page edge remains clearly present and displays beautifully.

Please examine all photographs closely, as they form an important part of the condition description and show the actual book being offered.

Even among the enormous number of Rubáiyát editions published around the turn of the century, the best examples are often collected as much for their bindings and book arts as for the text itself.

This one has tremendous visual appeal.

The combination of the Persian-inspired pictorial cover, portrait of Omar with his wine cup, elaborate Art Nouveau ornament, gilt lettering, decorated spine and gilt page edge makes it an excellent candidate for an antique-book collection, poetry library, Victorian/Edwardian collection or simply an exceptionally handsome shelf display.

A beautiful survivor from the era when The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám wasn\'t merely a book — it was a genuine literary and publishing phenomenon.