Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
"Fitzgerald's version of Khayyam... was more of an imaginative resurrection than a translation... [It] was a kind of Bible for freethinkers, materialists and sensualists" -- Robert Irwin.
1905 edition of The Rubaiyat; MAGNIFICENTLY BOUND BY RAMAGE.
The elaborate contemporary binding by Ramage features dark green morocco inlaid in a Padeloup-style mosaic pattern, covers bordered with thin decorative and plain gilt rules, the rest of the boards entirely covered with inlaid diapering featuring rows of pale yellow lozenges tooled with gilt fleurons, these flanked on all four sides with inlaid navy circles, the green morocco tooled with curving gilt lines attached to the dots. Spine compartments with similar inlaid pale yellow lozenges tooled in gilt and title in gilt, pastedowns framed by dark green morocco inlaid with pale yellow circles at the corners and with gilt floral tooling; cream-colored watered silk endleaves.
Born in London in the mid 19th century, John Ramage worked with the distinguished Marcellin Lortic after serving an apprenticeship with John Wright. Ramage later opened his own shop in London where his bindings were celebrated for their remarkably delicate, careful, and elaborate gilt work.
London: Macmillan & Co., 1905. Small octavo (4 1/8" x 6 1/8"), full morocco gilt by Romage, all edges gilt. Faint evidence of owner stamp on verso of front free endpaper, tiny chip to top of the spine. An outstanding binding, extremely well-preserved.
Price: $2,400 .