Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, The Astronomer-Poet of Persia Rendered into English Verse by Edward FitzGerald with an Accompaniment of Drawings by Elihu Vedder

Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company (Bernard Quaritch, London). Very Good with No dust jacket as issued. 1884. First Edition Thus. First Printing. Hard Cover. Photo-lithograph plates (56) With ornamental Title-page and 56 magnificent full-page Illustrations by Elihu Vedder, reproduced by the Lewis phototype process. Printed at the Riverside Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Medium brown flat-weave cloth over beveled boards; front cover with gilt-ruled borders, symbolist design of vase, vine, swirl and stars, and titling 'Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam' and 'Drawings by Elihu Vedder'; rear cover without decoration; spine with gilt-ruled borders, floral ornaments, and titling 'Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam'; illustrator's facsimile signature, gilt, on front cover, lower right "V."; grey coated endpapers with grapevine decoration; t.e.g.. Detailed collation: 2 Frontis; 3 Title; 6 Pictorial Imprint; 7 Pictorial dedication; 10 Pictorial Fly-title; 11-103 Text of Third Edition; 106 Pictorial Note; 107-111 Notes, within ornamental border; 114-122 Appendix: - Omar Khayyam (by FitzGerald); 123-126 Notes on the Text; 127 List of Illustrations (56). [Potter 201][Morris & Levin 92]. From the moment of its publication, Elihu Vedder's Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám achieved unparalleled success. The first edition appeared in Boston on 8 November 1884; six days later, it was sold out. Critics rushed to acclaim it as a masterwork of American art, and Vedder (1836 - 1923) as the master American artist. [Smithsonian Museum of American Art]. . Boards and spine are fine. Moderate foxing on page borders and some minor stains, generally not affecting plates or text. A very handsome volume, scarce in this condition because, due to its size (Folio 16 x 13") and weight, the hinges are usually split. VERY GOOD/NONE (as issued).. Photo-lithographed Plates. Folio - 13" x 16". 127 pp .