Folio Archives 217: Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám by Edward Fitzgerald 2018 facsimile, 2009 LE, 1982 3rd. FS edition, 1909 Black edition

Ursprunglig rubrik: Folio Archives 217: Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám by Edward Fitzgerald 2018 facsimile, 2009 LE, 1909 Black edition

DiskuteraFolio Society Devotees

Bara medlemmar i LibraryThing kan skriva.

Folio Archives 217: Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám by Edward Fitzgerald 2018 facsimile, 2009 LE, 1982 3rd. FS edition, 1909 Black edition

1wcarter
Redigerat: jun 21, 2022, 4:39 pm

Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, The Astronemer Poet of Persia - 2018 William Morris facsimile edition, 2009 Limited edition, 1982 First version of Edward Fitzgerald, 1909 Adam & Charles Black edition

I own four extraordinarily different editions of the classic Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, which was translated from Persian into English by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859. The poem was probably originally written about 1170.

2018 William Morris facsimile edition, Folio Society

This delightful little book is a mere 17.2x12.1cm. in its maroon gilt titled cloth slipcase. It is a facsimile of the edition held in the British library (MS37832) that was exquisitely illustrated and transcribed by William Morris in 1872. It is only 32 pages long and printed in colour and gold ink throughout. The binding is maroon cloth gilt blocked on covers with an intricate design. Despite its size, it contains all 75 suras.

The endpapers are plain maroon. There is no introduction or commentary, only a colophon page at the back (which confusingly, is undated). Every page is intricately illustrated.

2009 Limited edition illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat, Folio Society

This magnificent large format volume could not be more different than the one above. The 75 suras are spread over 220 pages with 16 tipped-in colour plates by Niroot Puttapipat, plus a frontispiece etching hand printed, signed and numbered by the artist. There is a ten page introduction by A. S. Byatt, and five pages of notes at the back of the book. The sura quatrains are set in 24 point Caslon and letterpress printed on Somerset antique velvet cotton mouldmade paper.

The mid-blue endpapers are letterpress printed with a black design.

The book is quarter-bound in vellum with vellum tips, the spine is hand blocked in 22-carat gold with the title and the mid-blue Merida paper front board is blocked in three metallic colours with a design by the artist. The page tops are gilded, while the other two edges are ragged. There is a dark-blue ribbon marker.

The slipcase is dark blue and 35.8x27.8x6.2cm. There is gilt printed mid-blue title label on the spine.

It was limited to 1000 copies and mine is number 455, the number appearing on the frontispiece etching. The original selling price was £395.

1982 The First version of Edward Fitxgerald, Folio Society

This 3rd. edition, a reset 2nd edition, is another beautiful little book bound in full orange-brown cloth with covers blocked with a raised design in silver and gold by Madeline Dinkel. There is a simple gold slipcase, 22.5x13.7cm. , and the same 32 pages as the 2018 edition, but has fiveillustrations by Virgil Burnett. The title page still says 1970.

The cream endpapers are printed in brown with a drawing, different front and back. There is a three page introduction by T.W. and a page of notes at the back of the book.

1909 edition published by Adam and Charles Black of London

This is a delightful antiquarian edition published at a time when the Rubaiyat was at it popular peak. There is a 28 page introduction by the lecturer in Persian at Cambridge University, Reynold Alleyne Nicholson, and 16 bound-in colour illustrations by Gilbert James that contrast with those done by Morris and Puttapipat.

The 204 page book is 25.3x19.6cm. and bound in heavy cream paper with blue decorative pattern and title on the front cover and spine (now rather faded on my copy). It was published with no dust-jacket or slipcase.

This is not a rare book, and good copies seem to sell in the £30-40 range at present.

2018 William Morris facsimile edition















































2009 Limited edition illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat




























































































1982 The First version of Edward Fitzgerald











Front endpapers


















Back endpapers






1909 edition published by Adam and Charles Black of London
























































Other Folio Society editions

The Rubáiyát has been published numerous times by the Folio Society. The following images are taken from the internet.

1955 Reproductions of four Persian miniatures. Bound in full red brocade with a design in silver and gold. Pale blue-green endleaves. Gold clamshell box with a red paper label. 15.7x11.5cm. 24 pp.



1970 2nd. Edition with drawings by Virgil Burnett. Bound in full red-brown cloth with a design in silver and gold by Madeline Dinkel. Gold clamshell box with a pale brown cover-label. 22.2x13.3cm. 32 pp.



2012 4th edition. Introduced by A.S. Byatt. 16 illustrations by Niroot Puttapipat. Quarter bound in blue leather with violet crushed silk covers. Pale brown slipcase with colour pictorial front. 30x22.5cm. 69 pp.





An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.

2L.Bloom
maj 6, 2021, 6:22 am

Excellent! Thank you for sharing this, what a delightful way to start my morning.

3cronshaw
maj 6, 2021, 7:07 am

>1 wcarter: another fabulous reference resource, thanks Warwick. My favourite edition of this work, for its size, binding materials and the exquisite illustrations, is the original FS edition of 1955.

4assemblyman
maj 6, 2021, 7:38 am

Thank you for posting. As ever your archive posts are pure enablement. The 1955 edition as well as the 2012 SE were on my list. I had discounted the William Morris as the website pictures were not appealing to me but your photos show it is quite lovely. I also like the illustrations on the 1909 Black edition. It really is a title which has a great range of lovely productions.

5assemblyman
maj 6, 2021, 7:44 am

>3 cronshaw: I have just ordered it as it was one I wanted after seeing someone posted pictures of it in one of the older threads. Lovely looking at very reasonable prices. I have dithered getting it since but Warwick's post has reminded me. Enablement indeed :)

6ultrarightist
Redigerat: maj 6, 2021, 1:50 pm

>1 wcarter: Great post, as always. Are you sure that the sura quatrains are letterpress printed in the LE? The colophon seems to indicate that only the etching is.

Edit: the etching, the limitation page, and the endpapers.

7whytewolf1
maj 6, 2021, 1:55 pm

Thanks, Warwick! Great stuff... both info and photos! :D

8wcarter
maj 6, 2021, 4:41 pm

>6 ultrarightist:
You are, of course, correct.

9wcarter
jun 14, 2021, 9:17 pm

I have recently obtained a copy of the revised 3rd. Folio Society edition of this title in a different format to the others reviewed above, so have now included a full pictorial review of this delightful and sensual (to the touch!) little book within the original review.

10assemblyman
jun 15, 2021, 4:42 am

Thank you for updating your review. I was not overly enthusiastic with this last edition when it was released but as usual your pictures have elevated it for me. It looks quite lovely. But then so do the others :)

11MobyRichard
jun 15, 2021, 12:14 pm

My favorite is the Puttapipat edition. 2nd would probably be Dulac.

The Elihu Vedder edition is also fabulous. FS should do a facsimile.

12ultrarightist
jun 15, 2021, 12:22 pm

>11 MobyRichard: "My favorite is the Puttapipat edition."

Which one? The LE or the Fine edition?

13MobyRichard
Redigerat: jun 15, 2021, 12:34 pm

>12 ultrarightist:

Both if we're talking about the illustrations. The LE I think is the superior binding but I think some people think it's a bit over the top. I think over the top makes sense for the Rubaiyat though. It's restrained compared to the Great Omar :D.

14ultrarightist
jun 15, 2021, 5:54 pm

>13 MobyRichard: Indeed :-)

15mr.philistine
sep 12, 2021, 5:31 am

Adam & Charles Black have produced several cheaper reprints over the years (1922, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1973, 1978 - I checked every listing I could find on Abebooks) but there appear to be 2 more variations of the 1909 Black edition:

1. with gold lettering to cover and spine, top edge gilt and green arabesque pattern on front cover and spine (publisher's name in 2 variants).





AND

2. with gold title on spine only (dust jacket issued)







Otherwise 203 pages, measuring 10" X 7.75" and 16 full-page colour illustrations appear to be standard for the 1909 Black edition.

16MobyRichard
sep 12, 2021, 11:48 am

Rubaiyat is fine press Emperor. Just off the top of my head, you have Vedder, Sangorski (not the Great Omar but a later edition), Bull, Dulac, Pogany, Puttapipat, Morris, Tagore, Szyk, Hanscom. Plus a couple of the illustrators mentioned above, which I hadn't heard of.

17elladan0891
sep 12, 2021, 11:06 pm

>12 ultrarightist: I inspected both at the dMR, and I actually prefer the Fine edition. I think the typographical layout of the Fine edition is much, much better. As you can see above, in the LE each small quatrain takes up a whole page. And the way the illustrations are spread, you basically get a sequence of 4 mostly empty pages with a quatrain on each followed by an illustration. The setup of the Fine edition is much better: 4 quatrains per page with a facing illustration page. So every spread has a page with text and a facing illustration. More sensible and pleasant to the eye (at least mine).
And in terms of production, this Fine edition is one of Folio's finest, pardon the pun. Quarter bound in supple top-notch goatskin of very generous size - must be one of the widest quarter leathers out there, crushed silk boards, very, very thick paper, pictorial slipcase. Beautifil book, one of the very best Fine editions.