A lavish first edition thus of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám with 24 tipped-in color plates by famous Hungarian children’s book illustrator William “Willy” Pogany. Pogany’s Art Nouveau illustrations beautifully complement Edward Fitzgerald’s seminal translation of the Rubáiyát, reproduced here in decorative Persian-style script. Followed by later editions in the 1930s and 40s by UK and US publishers, this original 1909 Harrap & Co. edition is rather difficult to find—especially in its exceedingly rare original dust jacket. Wear to jacket extremities with sizable open tear (85mm x 50mm) and closed tears (65mm, 55m) to jacket spine. Small burn hole (18mm x 5mm) to jacket front, leaving burn discoloration to front board. Wear to edges and corners of boards, coloration to front board and gilt title to spine remain remarkably vibrant. Internally clean and bright.