Renowned in his own country for his scientific achievements, in the English-speaking world he is chiefly known for the collection of rubaiyat or quatrains translated by Edward Fitzgerald.Īnother copy of the 'Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam', affectionately known as the 'Great Omar', executed at the renowned craft bookbinding firm of Sangorski and Sutcliffe, took over two years to create. Omar studied philosophy at Naishapur and one of his fellow students wrote that he was 'endowed with sharpness of wit and the highest natural powers'.

A literal translation of the name Khayyam means 'tent maker' and this may have been the trade of Ibrahim, his father. The political events of that time played a major role in the course of his life. Omar Khayyam the eleventh-century mathematician, astronomer and poet was born at Naishapur in Persia. Having gone through four editions in the author's lifetime and thousands since his death, its immortality was ensured by its popularity with the public as one of the most quoted poems of all time. It came to the attention of Rosetti and Swinburne who bought them for a penny apiece. Fitzgerald managed to convince Bernard Quaritch to put his imprint on the wrappered volume finding he could not sell it, Quaritch relegated it to a stall in St. A great friend of Thackeray, Tennyson, Spedding and Carlyle, he first published his translation in 1859, which is the text reproduced here. He has been described by Benson as 'a literary recluse of Irish origin, son of a member of Parliament of great wealth and position as a landowner'. Edmunds and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1830. A fine copy and superb example from this renowned bindery.Įdward Fitzgerald (1809-1883), poet and translator educated at Bury St. Spine divided into six panels by five gilt raised bands, title and illustrator in gilt on green morocco labels in the second and fourth, the remainder elaborately tooled in gilt and with the chalice and Snake, bunch of grapes in gilt in centre of remaining panels board edges ruled in gilt gilt floral turn-ins marbled endpapers red and gold endbands.

Bound by Bayntun of Bath (name stamped on verso of front endpaper) in full polished crimson morocco, covers framed by double gilt fillets enclosing on the upper cover a goblet encircled by a coiled snake in gilt. Nineteen mounted colour plates as headpieces, decorations line drawings printed in blue. Illustrated in Colour and in Line by René Bull. Rendered into English Verse by Edward Fitzgerald. OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF ILLUSTRATION IN SUPERB BAYNTUN BINDING

ONE OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

Rubáiyát