Here is a partial list of my collection in no particular order. Most of these are the Fitzgerald translation, but some are other translations and some are parodies. I've even thrown in a couple of related non-book items.

I would appreciate any comments, criticisms, suggestions, or pictures to add to the site. Please give me an email at jsheldon@elstonpress.com. Thanks for looking!

On Feb. 28, 2005 I added 12 editions to this page. I have many more editions to add, so please check back!

 

 

  1. [Bernard Way] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, [ND], Simpkin Marshall



     
  2. The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1925, De La More Press



     
  3. [Bruce Rogers] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1900, Riverside Press
    Potter 303



     
  4. [Vale Press] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1901
    Potter 4



     
  5. [Gay & Bird] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1905
    Potter 108



     
  6. [Taylor] Sufi Interpretations of Omar Khayyam and Fitzgerald, 1902
    Potter 252



     
  7. [Manuscript] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, [ND]



     
  8. [Vedder] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1894, Houghton Mifflin
    Potter 203




  9. [Vedder] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1912?
    Potter 210




  10. [Doxey] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1900, Doxey's At the Sign of the Lark
    Potter 240




  11. [Blue Sky Press] To Omar, Spoil of the North Wind, 1901, #239/625, Blue Sky Press
    Potter 990




  12. [Binding] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1900, MacMillan and Co.



     
  13. The Soul's Rubaiyat, [1911], AM Robertson



     
  14. [Dodge] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, [ND]



     
  15. [Putnam] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, [ND]



     
  16. [Foulis] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, [ND], TN Foulis



     
  17. [Brangwyn] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND [1910?], T.N. Foulis
    Tipped in color illustrations by Frank Brangwyn. Bound in paper over boards with a cloth spine. The front cover has a beautiful gold gilt design that is particularly effective on the purple paper. The pages have floral borders in the same color as the cover.



  18. [Brothers of the Book] One Hundred Quatrains from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Elizabeth Alden Curtis, 1899, #289/600, Brothers of the Book
    Potter 320
    "A rendering in English verse by Elizabeth Alden Curtis with an introduction by Richard Burton." The colophon reads: "The six hundred copies of this book were privately printed for Laurence C. Woodworth at the Marion Press, Jamaica, Queensborough, New York, and issued through the Brothers of the Book in December 1899." The book is in fabulous condition (thanks to the plain paper dust jacket) and the printing is excellent. The paper is Van Gelder - the same paper Mosher used for many of his books. According to Susan Otis Thompson in American Book Design and William Morris, Frank E. Hopkins founded the Marion Press (named after his daughter) after leaving DeVinne. Hopkins is quoted as saying "Mr. Thomas B. Mosher of Portland, Maine, requested me to undertake the printing of all his publications, a handsome offer which I felt obliged to decline because of the press of other work. I regretted afterward that I did so." (from The DeVinne & Marion Presses by Frank E. Hopkins, 1936)



  19. [McManus] The Book of Omar and Rubaiyat, 1900, The Bankside Press
    Potter 610
    "Being a book of miscellanies - biographical, historical, bibliographical and pictorial notes on Omar Khayyam of Naishapur and his inspired quatrains." Cover and endpapers designed by Blanche McManus. Contains chapters by many notable Omar collectors and scholars including Richard Le Galliene, Edwin Gosse, Andrew Lang, and Justin Huntley McCarthy.



  20. [Shepard] The Rubaiyat of Mirza-Mem'n, 1901, Henry Olendorf Shepard
    Potter 919
    This is quite a lovely edition; appears to be printed on Japan Vellum.



  21. [Dodge] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1900, Dodge Publishing Co.
    This small book is in pristine condition in its original box. The box states that this is one of the "Remarque Series."



  22. [Thompson] The Rose Garden of Omar Khayyam, 1910, Commonwealth Press
    This was privately printed for Eben Francis Thompson by the Commonwealth Press.



  23. [Roycroft - McKenna #30] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1898, Roycroft
    This is copy #31/670. Unfortunately, the cover is demolished; the book needs to be rebound. On the plus side, there are a couple of water-color paintings by Clara Schlegel.
  24. [Roycroft - McKenna #30] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1898, Roycroft
    This is copy #127/670. This copy has water-color paintings almost identical to the copy above, but by a different illuminator. I have seen another copy of this edition; it also had the water-color paintings.
  25. [Roycroft - McKenna #64] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1900, Roycroft
    This is copy #706/1000. Calligraphic printing (the calligraphy was transferred to plates for printing) printed in four colors with illumination (just gold outlining) on most pages. One of the few Roycroft Rubaiyats that is taller than it is wide.
  26. [Roycroft - McKenna #140?] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1906, Roycroft
    This edition is prefaced with John Hay's 8 December 1897 address to the Omar Khayyam Club. I'm not sure whether this is McKenna #140 or #139, but I'm leaning toward #140.
  27. [Roycroft - McKenna #173] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1908, Roycroft
    This copy has a Dard Hunter title page and is prefaced with John Hay's address to the Omar Khayyam Club.
  28. [Roycroft - McKenna #174] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1908, Roycroft
    This copy has a Dard Hunter title page and is prefaced with John Hay's address to the Omar Khayyam Club.
  29. [Roycroft - not in McKenna] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1922, Roycroft
    This copy is inscribed "March 6, 1971 - To Helen Marsh, From your sister, who is Elbert Hubbard's granddaughter.  Nancy Hubbard Brady." This book has the Dard Hunter title page and is prefaced with Clarence Darrow's A Persian Pearl.

    Please see Paul Jackson's Roycroft Books website to view some Roycroft Rubaiyats.
  30. [Mosher] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1899, Mosher
    One of the Old World Series. One of 925 copies of the sixth edition.



  31. [Mosher] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1901, Mosher
    This is smaller than the Old World Series editions. Fourth edition of this version; no limitation.



  32. [Mosher] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1903, Mosher
    Identical to the 1899 sixth edition. One of 925 copies of the eighth edition.
  33. [Mosher] In Praise of Omar - An Address by the Hon. John Hay, 1913, Mosher
    Potter 601
    One of 450 copies of the fifth edition. This is a reprint of an address given "at a dinner of the Omar Khayyam Club in London, (8 Decmber 1897)" by Colonel John Hay. This is basically a small pamphlet, but rather hard to find. I believe this is the same address that is printed at the beginning of several of the Roycroft Rubaiyats.
  34. [Barse & Hopkins] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND, Barse & Hopkins
    This suede-bound book has a great blind-stamped and gilt cover. The book is in fine condition with its original box. So far, I have six titles in this series and am always looking for more.



  35. [Barse & Hopkins] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND, Barse & Hopkins
    Nice blind-stamped cover.



  36. [Pogany] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND [1910?], Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
    This suede-bound book is in fabulous condition in its original box. The cover is blind stamped and gilt. There are numerous tipped in monochrome illustrations by Pogany.



  37. [Pogany] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND [1910?], George G. Harrap & Co. Limited
    This book almost identical to the one above. The publisher is different (and across the ocean!), and the cover is blind-stamped with no gilt. The illustrations are the same.



  38. [Pogany] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND [1910?], Thomas Y. Crowell Co. 
    This copy is slightly smaller than the two above and has color tipped in illustrations by Pogany.



  39. [Pogany] Omar Khayyam Calendar for 1914, 1914, Liberty & Co.
    Wonderful calendar with large tipped in full size color illustrations by Willy Pogany.



  40. [Hanscom] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1905, Dodge Publishing Co.




  41. [Hanscom] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1914, Dodge Publishing Co.
    This is the "Popular Edition" of 1914; it is much smaller than the edition above (about 5" x 6"). The tipped in images by Adelaide Hanscom have been colored for this edition.



  42. [Hanscom] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1914, Dodge Publishing Co.
    Another copy of the "Popular Edition" of 1914 with a different cover.



  43. [Crowell] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, ND, Thomas Y. Crowell
    Nice modeled leather cover.



  44. [Roe] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1910?, Dodge Publishing Co.
    Potter 366
    Bound in (rather faded) suede. This is a translation by George Roe, who was president of the Omar Khayyam Club of America. Inserted between the pages is a typed poem written by George Roe. This book is of additional interest to me because George Roe lived in my home city - San Antonio, Texas.
  45. [Roe] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1912?, Dodge Publishing Co.
    Potter 366
    Another copy of the same book; bound in brown suede.
  46. [Roe] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1931, Laidlaw Brothers
    Basically the same book with some added material.
  47. [DeVinne] Rubaiyat of a Persian Kitten by Oliver Herford, 1904, Charles Scribners' Sons
    Potter 1139?
    This is one of the best of the parodies. It was printed by the DeVinne press and beautifully bound in paper over boards. If you have cats, you would love this book. Here is one of my favorite quatrains:
       Tho' Two and Two make four by rule of line,
       Or they make Twenty-two by logic fine,
       Of all the figures one may fathom,
       I Shall ne'er be floored by anything but Nine.



  48. [Elder & Shepard] Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Jr. by Wallace Irwin, 1902, Elder & Shepard
    Potter 1112
    This parody has great cover and interior graphics. Designed by Gelett Burgess. Here is one of the quatrains:
       Oh Thou who sought our Fathers to enslave
       And ev'n the Pipe to Walter Raleigh gave,
       I love you still for your Redeeming Vice
       And shower Tobacco Leaves upon your Grave!



  49. [Paul Elder] Rubaiyat of a Social Bud by Mrs. Ambrose Madison Willis 1913, Paul Elder & Co.
    Potter 1157
    Illustrations and decorations by Elsie A. Harrison. Here is one of the quatrains:
       Wake! For electric Lights have taken flight,
       And, crouching at the Feet of Day, lies Night;
       The Post a dozen Invitations brought;
       Arise, the Social Season's at its Height!.



  50. [Burgess] Rubaiyat of Omar Cayenne by Gelett Burgess, 1904, Frederick A. Stokes Co.
    Potter 1116
    This one's a hoot! Gelett Burgess rails agains publishers, critics, book collectors, and readers with no taste. Here are a few of the quatrains:

        Wake! For the Hack can scatter into flight
        Shakespere and Dante in a single Night!
           The Penny-a-liner is Abroad, and strikes
        Our Modern Literature with blithering Blight.

        Why, e'en Marie Corelli, who discuss'd
        Of the Two Worlds so learnedly, is thrust
           Like Elbert Hubbard forth; her Words to Scorn
        Are scatter'd, and her Books by Critics cussed.

        Unless to see some First Edition rare,
        Or curious styles of Binding to compare;
           Art's True Believers know their Aldus well,
        But of the Author bound, are unaware!

        Indeed, such First Editions oft before
        I envied, but they proved to be a Bore.
           Why, are not Tenth Editions still more rare?
        Mine are! Why are they not worth even more?
  51. [Prohibition] Rubaiyat of Ohow Dryyam, 1922, Leedon Publishing Co.
    Illustrated by Benj. Franklin [not of Philadelphia]. I don't remember the dates of prohibition, but this is a Rubaiyat parody lamenting the lack of drink; it is really quite humorous. Here is one of the quatrains:
        A Book of Blue Laws underneath the Bough,
        A pot of Tea, a piece of Toast, -- and Thou
           Beside me sighing in the Wilderness --
        Wilderness? It's Desert, Sister, Now.
     


  52. [DeVinne] Rubaiyat of Doc Sifers by James Whitcomb Riley, 1897, The Century Co.
    This was printed by the DeVinne Press.



  53. [Lamb] Omar Khayyam, 1934, Doubleday, Doran and Company, Inc.
    This is historical fiction - the story of Omar's life. This copy is nicely bound in 3/4 blue morocco.



  54. [Lamb] Omar Khayyam, 1934, Doubleday, Doran and Company, Inc.
    This is the same book as above, but in the standard binding.



  55. Fruit Crate Label
    [Picture coming eventually]
  56. Mug
    This is a hand-painted pottery mug decorated (more or less) in the Arts & Crafts style. It has this line from the Rubaiyat: "Where I make one, turn down an empty glass."