"Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam", translated by Edward Fitzgerald with 75 drawings by Edmund J. Sullivan, published by Avenel, New York, undated (1976).

Edmund Joseph Sullivan (1869-1933), usually known as E.J. Sullivan, was a British book illustrator who worked in a style which merged the British tradition of illustration from the 1860s with aspects of Art Nouveau. Later books include "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam", first published in 1913 and in many subsequent editions. Here, among many fanciful and beautiful black-and-white drawings, he used images of skeletons and animated pots. One such skeleton image was appropriated by Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley for a "Grateful Dead" poster in 1966, and album cover in 1971.

"His seventy-six illustrations for "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" (Methuen, 1913) treat FitzGerald's verses realistically. Brangwyn's gorgeousness and glory of the east are missing and are replaced by an almost literal rendering of the lines. These are actual Persians as Sullivan saw them, not the symbolical figures of Love and Life Laughter and Carousal of the translator. ... All are interesting; some are excellent, but there is a feeling of restraint about them hardly in keeping with the defiant spirit of the book. The drawing of the hands throughout is wonderful/ Boyd Houghton's influence can be felt often and one wonders how that artist of the 'sixties, with his knowledge and interest in the east, would have illustrated the poem. The Omar Khayyam club commissioned replicas of the mug illustrating verse LXIV. These were made by Arnold Bennett's brother and used at their meetings." [from the online article by James Thorpe]

Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) "the Astronomer-Poet of Persia", was famous during his lifetime not as a poet but as an astronomer and mathematician. The earliest reference to his having written poetry is found in his biography by al-Isfahani, written 43 years after his death.

-US: Priority (c.2-4 days) -------------- $9.50
Canada: 1st Class (c.2-6 weeks) ------ $22.50
World: 1st Class (c.2-8 weeks) ------- $28.50

Hard boards, leather-pattern hardcovers with gold decorations on front board and spine; 5.1/2” x 8.1/4”; unpaginated, 7-page essay "Omar Khayyam the Astronomer-poet of Persia," 75 short poems, and 75 drawings on opposite pages; fine condition.