Oregon State University has a collection of gift book editions of the Rubáiyát by Omar Khayyam as translated by Edward FitzGerald. This collection is kept in OSU’s Archival Research Center. This collection of gift books is called the Dr. Sigurd Peterson Collection, but not much is known about how exactly Sigurd Peterson acquired this collection or for what purpose. 

This gallery exhibit is intended to analyze the 47th edition kept in that collection. I have analyzed this edition and researched its background in order to ascertain what makes it stand out from the others kept in this collection. In other words, why was this edition considered worthy of Sigurd Peterson’s collection? Throughout this exhibit I’ve studied the physical background of the edition as well as the historical connotations of its creation. I’ve finished this exhibit with a critical fabulation of what a buyer of this edition may write to the receiver (as this is a gift book).

~Isabella Brown

Images in this Exhibit

Description of My Edition

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My edition of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám uses FitzGerald’s first edition text. It is considered a miniature book as it is 18cm (7.08in) in length; it is brown with gold colored letters on the title in a Persian design, and it has beveled edges. This edition has very little identifying information printed onto it. There is no author, translator, or publication date listed–although the OSU Library suspects this edition was likely published in 1917. There are no fewer than three publishers printed onto different pages of the book: on the spine is Harrap; on the back cover page…

Gift Books & Orientalism

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Within Barabara Black’s book, On Exhibit: Victorians and Their Museums, she makes the claim that Edward FitzGerald’s translation of The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám became exceedingly popular due to the cultural appropriation the translation exhibited. At the time of his popularity the Rubáiyát essentially became less about the content of its poetry, and more about the fictionalized grandeur FitzGerlad’s translation seemed to project. Black expresses this sentiment in the following, 

“Kermode summarizes this point well: “Having left Persian…

How This Edition Was Made

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I chose this edition because I was interested in its seemingly quiet simplicity. There are some features of this book that could be considered “fancy”, though compared to other editions of the Rubáiyát this one is relatively less flashy. Based on appearance alone, this edition seemed to be intended for the everyday consumer. I was interested to learn more about the making of this edition. To start my investigation, I needed to refamiliarize myself with the facts I already knew about the edition. 

This edition of Omar Khayyám’s Rubáiyát is a first edition…

Archival Speculation

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Dearest Agnes, 

I am sorry for not responding to your letters sooner, work has taken up all my day. Business here in London has been good, but it takes much of my attention. I adore reading your letters, and I think it is fine that you are trying your hand at poetry. Remember when you would read from Keats or Wordsworth while we lay in the wheat field under our tree? I’ve been thinking about those sunny afternoons more and more recently. I had a rare hour of freedom last Friday, I went out for a stroll and found myself on Piccadily. I went into Hatchards, and began exploring…

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Rubáiyat of Omar Kháyyám
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