Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám (1947 Random House Deluxe Reprint) - Persian Miniature Art & BOMC Artifact 🍷📜🌙

This volume is an authenticated deluxe reprint of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, published in 1947 by Random House. The book is a collected edition of the translations by Edward FitzGerald, considered the definitive English version of the classic Persian poetry.

The book's collectible value is primarily secured by its high Aesthetic Premium—the beautiful full-color Persian miniature illustrations and the intricate, patterned binding. The volume is a strong acquisition for collectors of fine press, illustrated poetry, and documented book club history, as evidenced by the inclusion of the original signed Book-of-the-Month Club (BOMC) dividend card.

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨

The Rubáiyát is a collection of quatrains (four-line stanzas) attributed to the 12th-century Persian mathematician and poet Omar Khayyám. The core themes are a philosophical meditation on fate, the passage of time, the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure, and the nature of life and death, often summarized by the famous line, "A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou."

This Random House edition is a compiled reprint of FitzGerald's five different versions of the work. The full-color plates are designed in the style of Persian miniature painting, illustrating the romantic and pastoral elements of the poetry. The design is cohesive, with intricate, thematic patterned endpapers featuring animals and figures, transforming the volume into a visual work of art.

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Omar Khayyám (1048–1131) was a Persian polymath, renowned in his time as a mathematician and astronomer. His poetry, the Rubáiyát, was popularized for the Western world by Edward FitzGerald (1809–1883), whose translation in 1859 became one of the most celebrated and influential poems of the Victorian era.

This edition features an introduction by Louis Untermeyer, a significant American poet, anthologist, and literary critic. The book's artistry is rooted in the Persian miniature style, a form of delicate painting famous for its intricate detail and luminous color. This Random House printing brings together a global chain of artistic and literary genius, spanning 12th-century Persia, 19th-century England, and 20th-century American publishing.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

This book was published in 1947, at the beginning of the post-World War II era. Following the immense destruction of the war, this period saw a popular cultural movement toward philosophical escapism and the pursuit of simple pleasures, themes central to Khayyám's poetry.

The book's mass circulation through the Book-of-the-Month Club (BOMC) reflects the democratization of literary classics in America. The poetry itself experienced a massive resurgence in popularity during the 20th century, becoming a cult classic among artists and intellectuals for its hedonistic, carpe diem philosophy. This volume is a time capsule of mid-century American intellectual life, documenting the period's hunger for profound, accessible philosophy in the face of modern global anxiety.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This volume is tailored for a Curator of Finely Illustrated Poetry and a Scholar of the History of Book Clubs. The Ideal Collector seeks books where the artistic merit and decorative binding are of paramount importance.

The book belongs in a collection focused on Persian Literature and Edward FitzGerald First Editions. The presence of the neat Ex Libris bookplate for "Mr. & Mrs. C. Lester King" and the original BOMC dividend card makes it a desirable artifact for those who collect documented American reading history.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This book is a 1947 reprint and a confirmed Book-of-the-Month Club (BOMC) Edition, making it 78 years old. As a BCE, it is a common edition and dictates a mandatory deduction from the value of the scarce FitzGerald First Editions.

The value is secured entirely by its Aesthetic Premium—the elaborate 1940s pictorial design, endpapers, and color plates. The Ephemera Premium is strong, due to the rare combination of the original, signed BOMC dividend card and the Mr. & Mrs. C. Lester King Ex Libris. This documented personal and commercial history elevates the book into a premium decorative asset.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

This is a 1947 Random House hardcover reprint with decorative patterned boards and a full black spine. The original dust jacket is absent.

• Positive Qualities:

  • The binding is tight and square, providing excellent structural integrity.

  • The decorative boards and spine gilt stamping are crisp and highly aesthetic.

  • The Persian miniature color plates and patterned endpapers are vivid and intact.

  • The original Book-of-the-Month Club dividend card and Mr. & Mrs. C. Lester King Ex Libris are present.

• Imperfections:

  • The red cloth boards show light rubbing and minor shelf wear.

  • The absence of the original dust jacket mandates a significant deduction.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• The Book-of-the-Month Club dividend card is signed by Harry Scherman, the club's co-founder and long-time president.

• The title page verso confirms the volume contains FitzGerald's five different editions of the poem, allowing for comparative literary study.

• The Persian miniature art style used for the color plates is intentionally decorative, transforming the text into a work of 20th-century decorative art.

• The Mr. & Mrs. C. Lester King Ex Libris on the flyleaf suggests this decorative edition was part of a meticulously curated private library.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Title: Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám (Translated by Edward FitzGerald)

• Author: Omar Khayyám (12th Century Persian Poet)

• Year of Publication: 1947 (Copyright Date)

• Publisher: Random House

• Place of Origin: New York, Manufactured in U. S. A.

• Format/Binding: Hardcover, Decorative Cloth Boards, Black Spine with Gilt Stamping

• Edition: Book-of-the-Month Club Reprint (Copyright 1947)

• Rarity: Common Edition (BCE), High Aesthetic Premium and Historical Ephemera

• Verbatim Transcription of Inscription/Marking:

  • Bookplate: “Mr. & Mrs. C. Lester King”.

  • BOMC Card Text (Excerpt): “DEAR READER. It is a great pleasure to send you the accompanying volume, as a book-dividend, to which you are entitled by reason of your recent purchases of two Book-of-the-Month Club selections.”.