WILLY POGANY'S RUBAIYAT, GORGEOUSLY ILLUSTRATED AND BOUND

(POGANY, Willy) KHAYYAM, Omar. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Presented by Willy Pogany. London: George G. Harrap, [1909]. Quarto, contemporary full dark red morocco, elaborately gilt-decorated spine and covers, front cover with peacock design with leather inlays in blue, red, teal and tan, raised bands, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Housed in a custom matching slipcase. $3200.

First edition to be illustrated by Willy Pogany, with 24 mounted color plates, decorative initials, calligraphy and page borders by Pogany; beautifully bound by Asprey & Co. in full morocco with peacock design in gilt with leather inlays.

Khayyam's "brief verses vary in theme… from sophisticated satires on the unreasonableness of human passion to the passionate lyrics on the joys and sorrows of love and wine and on the wisdom of grasping pleasure while we can" (Hornstein, Percy and Brown 377). Composed in 12th-century Persia and rendered into English by Edward FitzGerald (his first version appeared in 1859), these stanzas express "the desire to snatch the utmost of pleasurable sensation from the irretrievable passing moment… [but also] more sober thoughts of the Power that has created beauty and in man a capacity to appreciate beauty but has cursed him with transience… In words and cadences of haunting loveliness a desolating message was communicated to numberless hearts" (Baugh et al., 1417-18). This popular illustrated gift volume was issued many times in the coming years, though often with fewer than the 24 color plates found here. The signed limited edition of 1930 was issued with only 12 of the color plates. Greer 21a.

A stunning example, in fine condition.