The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, 1909, Illustrated by Willy Pogany, Morrell Binding

Binding Details:  A stunning signed Morrell binding featuring full morocco leather covered boards with the front cover featuring elaborate gold gilt decorated borders and titling echoing the style of Willie Pagony’s text and illustrations. The spine treatment consists of five raised bands and elaborate gold gilt decorations and titling. There are hand-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, hand-sewn silk endbands, and the top page ends are gold gilted. The Morrell binders stamp appears in gold gilt on the bottom of the inside front cover. The book measures 11.125” x 8” and is housed in a chemise of hand-marbled flexible card stock and leather as well as a slipcase with leather trim.

Book Details:  Originally published in 1859, The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám is the title that Edward Fitzgerald gave to his translation of a selection of poems originally written in Persian by Omar Khayyám in the 11th century. This is the first Willy Pogany illustrated edition published by George G. Harrap & Co, London in 1909. The book features elaborately decorated calligraphic text and 24 tipped-in chromolithographic plates of Pogany’s spectacular illustrations.

The Rubáiyát is one of the most popular poems of all time. A collection of quatrains composed in the eleventh century by Persian poet and philosopher Omar Khayyám, it was first published in English-language translation by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859. Since then, its melancholy tone and enigmatic philosophy of mourning the painful brevity of life while celebrating what pleasures we may find have made it an inspiration to many writers.

Condition Report:  The binding is in FINE condition. Internally, the book is clean with very sporadic minor spotting which is a little more pronounced on the page ends. The chemise and slipcase are in Near FINE condition with some generalized wear to the slipcase and the top of the spine of the chemise.

Photographs of the binding, chemise and slipcase, endpapers, and a few stock illustrations from the book appear in the photo section of the listing.