COVE

This 1907 edition of Omar Khayyám’s Rubáiyát, translated by Edward FitzGerald, was published as a collaborative effort between Ernest Nister of London and E.P. Dutton & Co. of New York. While the specific edition of FitzGerald’s translation isn’t explicitly identified, the text most strongly resembles his initial rendition — the one that first introduced these Persian quatrains to a wider English-speaking audience. The book contains 147 numbered pages, preceded by several unnumbered pages including the title page, the list of plates, and a frontispiece by illustrator T. Heath Robinson (1869–1954). The list of plates provides a guide to the four most prominent illustrations, also on unnumbered pages but identified by the page they face. The pages themselves are glossy, coated paper, which not only enhances the vibrancy and clarity of the printed color illustrations, but also speaks to the quality of production; this choice of paper, relatively novel at the time of publication, would have contributed to the book’s overall expense and further positioned it as a desirable item, likely intended for gifting or for a sophisticated reader who appreciated fine bookmaking. The tactile experience of these smooth pages adds another dimension to a reader’s engagement with the text and illustrations, reflecting the care and attention to detail evident in this edition.

This particular edition is referred to as the “Heath Robinson edition,” emphasizing the illustrator’s contributions and distinguishing it from the countless other editions of FitzGerald’s first translation. Although identifying the exact style of Robinson’s art would require further research, the richness of the colors and the “Oriental” details in the subject matter suggest a connection to Persian artistic traditions. Every page — with the exception of the full-page color plates — features an ornate black frame bordering the text and any smaller accompanying images. The title “Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám” is also featured at the top of each page, flanked by rose illustrations along the inner edges of the frame at both the top and bottom. The involvement of Robinson was likely a strong selling point for this edition, as he was a celebrated English illustrator known for his imaginative and detailed work in both line drawings and full color for books and magazines.¹ 

Measuring only around 18 centimeters, the exterior of this pocket-edition is equally as striking as the illustrations. With gilt lettering on the cover as well as page edges, the visual presentation of this book signals a level of wealth and sophistication in its owner, which was a key consideration for the publishers of these gift books. The book is bound in grey cloth and the boards are decorated with color illustrations, providing an immediate visual appeal that hints toward the artistic focus of this edition; despite WorldCat’s description of a grey cloth binding, the cover of this edition is a deep shade of blue, most closely resembling Midnight Blue or Prussian Blue. The central image on the cover is a figure (likely intended to represent Khayyám himself) prominently featured against this blue backdrop, just below the gilded title of the work. FitzGerald is also credited on the cover for his translation, though his credit is presented in a more understated black lettering at the bottom of the cover, presumably to emphasize the “Oriental” nature of the work over the intervention of an Anglophone translator, thereby maintaining its aura of exoticism.

¹“Thomas Heath Robinson.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 22 March 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Heath_Robinson.