[Fine Binding] Khayyám, Omar (Edward Fitzgerald, trans.) Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Astronomer-Poet of Persia…with an Accompaniment of Drawings by Elihu Vedder, signed by illustrator. Boston: Houghton Mifflin and Company, 1884. First deluxe edition, first printing. Limited to 100 copies, this being No. 22 and signed by Vedder on limitation page. Original full thick brown morocco by Riverside Press, elaborately stamped and tooled in gilt after a design by Vedder, spine stamped in gilt, gilt rolled fore edges, broad gilt dentelle turn-ins, floral silk pastedowns and endleaves, a.e.g. 57 Art-Nouveau illustrated leaves by Elihu Vedder on Japanese paper and mounted on heavy wove paper + 8 leaves of appendix and notes. Elephant folio. Expertly refurbished outer joints, corners gently rubbed, front endleaf slightly frayed at edges, rear endleaf dampstained at fore edge, occasional foxing at margins, near fine example. Rare.
This is the true first deluxe edition of Vedder’s interpretation and the same text block that was used in Sangorski and Sutcliffe’s legendary (and tragic) jeweled binding, ‘The Great Omar’ that was bound for America aboard the Titanic. This edition, limited to 100 copies, sold out within six days making it a truly rare title on the market.