Collection Summary
Omar Khayyam,
1048-1122
Omar Khayyam
Collection
1810-2009 (bulk 1892-1930),
undated
Manuscript Collection
MS-03103
5 document boxes, 1 oversize box (osb) (2.10 linear feet), 1 oversize folder
(osf)
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
The Omar Khayyam Collection documents the
British and American craze for Omar, the Rubaiyat, and all things Persian following the 1859
publication of Edward FitzGerald's translation of the quatrains. Included are articles;
correspondence; illuminated manuscripts; printed ephemera such as calendars, a card game,
clippings, menus, and programs; and translations by other authors. The archive is
complemented by a collection of over 1,000 printed books in the Ransom Center's Library; a
plaque from the Omar Khayyam Club of America in the Personal Effects Collection; 52 lantern
slides created by Elihu Vedder to illustrate the Rubaiyat in the Photography Collection; and
related materials in the Eastern Manuscripts
Collection.
English, Esperanto, French, Manx, Persian
Access:
Open for research.
Researchers
must create an online Research Account and agree to the Materials Use Policy before using
archival materials.
Use Policies:
Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential information
that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers
are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living
individuals represented in the collections without the consent of those individuals may have
legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may
arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed
highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University of
Texas at Austin assume no responsibility.
Preferred Citation
Omar Khayyam Collection (Manuscript Collection MS-03103). Harry Ransom Center, The
University of Texas at
Austin.
Processed by:
Joan Sibley and Richard Workman, 2019
Note:
This finding aid replicates and replaces information previously available only in a card
catalog. Please see the explanatory note at the end of this finding aid for information
regarding the arrangement of the manuscripts as well as the abbreviations commonly used in
descriptions.
Container List
Works and Documents:
1.1
Unidentified author, L., M. The bard & the bibliophile, initialed Ams, 2
pages, undated.
Unidentified editor. Papers on the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám.
32 papers by various authors bound together with hand-lettered and illustrated title
page, contents pages, and chapter titles, 400 pages bound, 1857-1904. The papers are
either typed copies or printed and are arranged in chronological order:
1.2
Aldrich, Thomas Bailey, 1836-1907. A Persian poet, 1878.
1.2
Cadell, Jessie E. (also known as Cadell, H. M., Mrs., 1844-1884). The true
Omar Khayam, 1879.
1.2
Chadwick, John White, 1840-1904. The rubáiyát of Omar
Khayyám, 1872.
1.2
Clodd, Edward, 1840-1930. Edward FitzGerald, 1894.
1.2
Conway, Moncure Daniel, 1832-1907. The Omar Khayyám cult in England,
1893.
1.2
Cornhill magazine. Omar Khayyám's ruba'iyat, 1890.
1.2
Cowell, Edward B. (Edward Byles), 1826-1903. Omar Khayyàm, the
astronomer-poet of Persia, 1858.
1.2
Fidelis, pseudonym of Machar, Agnes Maule, 1837-1927. An old Persian poet,
1876.
1.2
Fraser's magazine. Omar Khayyàm, the astronomer-poet of Persia,
1870.
1.2
Garcin de Tassy, M. (Joseph-Héliodore-Sagesse-Vertu), 1794-1878. Note sur
les Rubâ'iyât de Omar Khaïyâm, 1857.
1.2
Gautier, Théophile, 1811-1872. Les quatrains de Kèyam traduits du
persan, 1867.
1.2
Gosse, Edmund, 1849-1928. Edward FitzGerald, 1889.
1.2
Groome, Francis Hindes, 1851-1902. Edward FitzGerald: An aftermath,
1889.
1.2
Holland, Bernard, 1856-1926. The present popularity of Omar Khayyam,
1899.
1.2
Houghton, Arthur Boyd, 1836-1875. A study in despair, 1885.
1.2
Keene, H. G. (Henry George), 1825-1915. Loose stanzas, 1895.
1.2
Keene, H. G. (Henry George), 1825-1915. Omar Khayyam, 1887.
1.2
Literature. The translations of Omar Khayyám, 1898.
1.2
McCarthy, Justin H. (Justin Huntly), 1860-1936. The 1859 edition of
FitzGerald's Omar Khayyám, 1886.
1.2
Murphy, Charles Perez. Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám paraphrased,
for the most part, from the literal version of Mrs. Jessie E. Cadell,
1899.
1.2
Murray, James A. Omar Khayyam, 1896.
1.2
Norton, Charles Eliot, 1827-1908. Review of Nicolas' edition, 1867, and
FitzGerald's second edition, 1868; 1869.
1.2
Phelps, William Lyon, 1865-1943. Schopenhauer and Omar Khayyam,
1888.
1.2
Pickering, Charles J. 'Umar of Nîshâpûr, 1890.
1.2
Schinz, Albert, 1870- . Omar Khayyam et son culte en Angleterre et aux
Etats-Unis d'Amérique, 1900.
1.2
Scudder, Horace Elisha, 1838-1902. Vedder's accompaniment to the song of
Omar Khayyám, 1884.
1.2
Siddons, J. H., pseudonym of Stocqueler, J. H. (Joachim Hayward),
1800-1885. A Persian poet, 1876.
1.2
Spectator. The influence of Omar Khayyám, 1899.
1.2
Stokes, Whitley, 1830-1909. A translation: Quatrains from 'Omar
Khayyám, 1885.
1.2
Torrey, Bradford, 1843-1912. Edward FitzGerald, 1904.
1.2
Whalley, P. Metrical translations from the quatrains of 'Umar Khayyám,
1877.
1.2
Wilson, H. Schütz (Henry Schütz), 1824-1902. The rubáiyát of
Omar Khayyám, the astronomer-poet of Persia, 1876.
1.3
Ashraftli, Mirza. Description of MS No 1548 of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,
signed Ams, 6 pages, 10 June 1901. Includes a copy of a Note on the subject by
Pringle, A. T., 27 May 1898.
1.4
Baff, William E. (William Edward), 1888- . Rubáiyát de Omar Kajam,
signed A & Tms / translation into Esperanto, 46 pages bound, July
1909.
1.5
Barton, Bernard, 1784-1849. On the press, signed Ams, 2 pages,
undated.
1.6
Cochran, G. Franklin and Freter, T. H., Jr. Obscure translations and
paraphrases of the quatrains of Omar Khayyam, Tms, 107 pages, September
1935.
1.7
Cowell, Edward B. (Edward Byles), 1826-1903. Key to the Calcutta manuscript
of the quatrains of Omar Khayyám, A & Tms, 109 pages bound with 1 page laid
in, 10 June 1901.
2.1
Dooman, Isaac. The rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, A & Tms / introduction,
English translation, and notes, 37 pages, 1909.
2.2
Ganz, Charles. Materials prepared for the publication of The Golden Cockerel
Rubaiyat, A & Tms, 116 pages, undated. Includes correspondence among Ganz; Ross,
E. Dennison, Sir; and Rutter, Owen.
osf 1
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820. Signed document commissioning
Sir Gore Ouseley as ambassador to Persia, 11 July 1810. Included with this: clipping,
undated.
2.3
Gooden, Stephen, 1892-1955. Print of tailpiece illustration for an
unidentified edition of the Rubaiyat, undated.
2.4
Julius, Katherine G. Colet. A vision of Omar, signed Ams, 32 pages, presented
to Potter, Ambrose George, 21 December 1913.
2.5
Kneen, J. J. (John Joseph), 1873-1938. Rubáiyát Omar Khayyám,
Tms / translation into Manx, 11 pages bound, undated.
Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, translated by FitzGerald,
Edward:
2.6
Coley, Louis B. for Burrage, Charles D. Ams / hand-lettered and
illuminated, 53 pages bound, January 1903.
2.7
Hill, Edwin B. of Ysleta, Texas, printer, 1940 and Burkhart, Emerson C.,
1941, illustrator, for Sloan, Charles H. Private printing, 42 pages bound, 1941, in
edition of only two copies. Includes 2 TLS from Hill to Sloan, 23 April and 27
November 1940 and 2 sample proofs, all pasted down in the bound volume.
2.8
Johnston, Edward, 1872-1944. Calligraphic rendering on vellum of eight
rubaiyat, 2 pages, undated.
2.9
McLaughlin, M. Louise (Mary Louise). Ams / hand-lettered and illuminated,
72 pages bound, 1901.
3.1
Marsh, Lydia. Ams / hand-lettered and illuminated, 21 pages bound, March
1915.
osb 1
Trew, Cecil G. (Cecil Gwendolen). Ams / hand-lettered and illustrated, 88
pages bound with 1 page laid in, undated.
3.2
Powys, Llewellyn, 1884-1939. Omar Khayyám, Tms, 17 pages, 29 May
1936.
3.3
Prideaux, W. F. (William Francis), 1840-1914. The lay of the Himyarites,
initialed Ams, 11 pages, and page proofs with handwritten corrections, 16 pages,
August 1909.
Correspondence:
3.4
Unidentified author (bookseller). TccL to Bond, Mrs., 23 June
1939.
3.4
Agnew, Liagette. ANS to unidentified recipient, undated.
3.5
Butt, Beatrice May. ALS signed Beatrice Allhusen to Thompson, Eben Francis,
undated.
3.6
Clodd, Edward, 1840-1930. Concerning Edward FitzGerald / scrapbook containing
clippings, letters, menus, pamphlets, illustrations, etc., 1892-1920. Correspondents
and authors of original manuscripts include George Doughty, Edmund Gosse, John Hay, A.
Holmes, William Holman Hunt, Justin Huntly McCarthy, George Meredith, Henry Nevinson,
Owen Seaman, William Simpson, W. Thiselton-Dyer, and Theodore Watts.
3.7
Crawley, A. E. (Alfred Ernest), 1869-1924. 2 ALS to Dole, _____, 13 November
and 10 December no year. Included with these: 2 galley proofs of Greek text with
handwritten corrections, undated. Withdrawn from book: PK 6514 G7 C7.
3.7
Dodge Publishing Company. TNS to unspecified recipient, 14 July 1910.
Withdrawn from book: PK 6513 A1 1896e.
3.4
Ewing, Juliana Horatia, 1841-1885. ALS to Brown, Mrs., 6 April
1877.
FitzGerald, Edward, 1809-1883:
3.8
ALS to unidentified recipient Captain, 20 April 1871. With this: Tcc
transcription.
3.8
ALS to Birkhell, _____, 16 September 1879. With this: Tcc
transcription.
3.8
ALS to Groome, Francis Hindes, undated.
3.8
ALS to Smith, Elder, and Co., 28 November 1876.
4.1
Furniss, Harry, 1854-1925. 5 ALI, with several drawings, to Heron-Allen,
Edward, 1888, 1902, undated.
3.7
Greene, Herbert Wilson, 1857-1933. 2 ALS to Dole, Nathan Haskell, 14 October
and 18 November 1897. Included with these: Unidentified author, empty envelope with
handwritten note on outside, undated. Withdrawn from book: PK 6514 L3 G7.
3.4
Hill, Edwin B. ALS to Clem, John G., 9 July 1938.
3.7
Jackson, A. V. Williams (Abraham Valentine Williams), 1862-1937. 2 ALS to
Thompson, Eben Francis, 18 September 1920, 16 March 1923. Withdrawn from book: DS 49.5
J2.
3.4
Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912. ANS to unidentified recipient Walker, 27 May no
year.
3.4
Lister, Henry Bertram, 1869- . TLS, ALS to Clem, John G., 12 July 1935, 11
April 1944.
3.7
Mosher, Thomas Bird, 1852-1923. ALS to Thompson, Eben Francis, 3 April 1905.
Withdrawn from book: PK 6513 A1 1859m copy 2.
3.7
New Amsterdam Book Co. 2 TLS to Macy, Arthur, 5 March and 11 July 1902.
Includes clipping. Withdrawn from book: PK 6513 A1 1901 copy 1.
4.1
Pain, Barry, 1864-1928. ALS to Furniss, Harry, 6 April 1907.
4.1
Pain, Barry, 1864-1928. ALS to Heron-Allen, Edward, 22 July 1902.
Partridge, Bernard, 1861-1945:
4.1
2 ALS to Heron-Allen, _____, Mrs., 14 and 19 November 1899.
4.1
6 ALS to Heron-Allen, Edward, 1899-1904.
3.7
ALS to Heron-Allen, Edward, 21 December 1901. Included with this:
Heron-Allen, ALS in French to unidentified recipient Madame, 26 January 1901. Also
included: printed prospectus for Heron-Allen's translation of the Rubaiyat.
Withdrawn from book: PK 6511 E5 H5.
Potter, Ambrose George:
4.2
ANS to Clem, John G., 22 April 1934. Enclosed with this: Photograph of one
page of the William Morris/Edward Burne-Jones manuscript of the Rubaiyat. Also
included: 2 postcards illustrated with photographs of collections of various
editions of the Rubaiyat.
3.4
ALS to Clem, John G., 16 November 1935.
3.4
ALS to Thompson, Eben Francis, 28 March 1903.
3.7
Roe, George, 1861- . ALS to Burrage, Charles D., 28 July 1910. Includes
drawing. Withdrawn from book: PK 6516 R7 1906.
3.7
Roe, George, 1861- . ALS to Thompson, Eben Francis, 21 March 1923. Withdrawn
from book: PK 6516 R7 1910 copy 1.
3.4
Rogers, Samuel, 1763-1855. ANS to unidentified recipient Lord John,
undated.
4.3
Shaw, Byam, 1872-1919. 5 ALS to Heron-Allen, Edward, 1910.
4.1
Sickert, Walter, 1860-1942. 3 ALS to Heron-Allen, Edward, 30 April 1901, 17
October 1905, undated.
4.4
Thompson, Eben Francis, 1859-1939. Correspondence and clippings re
publication of Thompson's The rose garden of Omar Khayyām, Worcester, MA: Hamilton
Brooks Wood, 1932 (claimed at the time to be the smallest book ever printed). Includes
APCS, APCI, 10 ALS Thompson to Stone, Wilbur Macey, 1923-1934, and TLS Vail, Robert W.
G. to Stone, 1933. Included with these: Original binding for the collection of
documents titled Data re the smallest book - 1933.
4.5
Walton, Clarke W. FL to Clem, John G., 18 December 1934. Included with this:
printed bookmark.
Printed Ephemera:
Unidentified author:
4.6
The Omar Khayyam calendar, 1916 / printed, with illustrations by Seal,
Ethel Davis, published by Barse & Hopkins, New York City, 1916.
4.7
The Omar Khayyam calendar, 1920 / printed, with illustrations by Seal,
Ethel Davis, published by Barse & Hopkins, New York City, 1920.
4.8
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: A calendar / printed, published by George Sully
& Co., New York City, 1921.
Unidentified collector:
4.9-10
Collection of documents re the 150th anniversary of the publication of
Edward FitzGerald's translation of the Rubaiyat, 2009.
4.11
Collection of parodies from newspapers and magazines, Tms / copied, 53
pages, 1902-1905, undated.
4.12
Collection of published articles and ephemera related to the Rubaiyat,
1896-1957, undated.
4.13
Unidentified organization. The pageant play of Omar Khayyam, printed
programme, 3 copies, 9 September 1920.
4.13
Chromatic Club (Troy, N.Y.). Vocal performances, printed programme, 5
December 1898.
Omar Khayyam Club of America:
5.1
Four souvenir illustrated cards and menus, some signed by attendees, from
meetings of the club, 1916-1922.
5.2
Menu of dinner at Pagani's, printed, 15 November 1928. Includes signature
of John Drinkwater beneath his poem, Gentlemen: The chairman!
3.7
Printed FL, undated. Withdrawn from book: PK 6513 A1 1859ℓ.
5.3-6
Souvenirs and menus from annual meetings, 1900-1936.
4.13
Omar Tea Rooms. Extracts from The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám, translated
by FitzGerald, Edward, in printed pocket calendar form, 4 copies, 1910.
4.13
Rice, Charles I. 2 FPC / parody rubaiyat addressed To the chorus, 2 copies, 7
May 1910.
4.13
South Place Ethical Society (London, England). Omar Khayyam--Edward
FitzGerald Festival, programme, 21 March 1930. Two copies, one with handwritten note
by Ambrose George Potter.
5.7
Thompson, Eben Francis, 1859-1939. Collection of clippings of parodies and
other items related to the Rubaiyat, 1894-1919, undated.
5.8
Thompson, Eben Francis, 1859-1939. Collection of published ephemera related
to the Rubaiyat, 1910-1918, undated.
5.9
Walton, Clarke W. (Clarke Willis), 1885-1938. Omar: A game of the Rubaiyat /
printed card game, 54 cards, 1936.
5.10
Worcester Music Festival. The fifty-fourth annual festival of the Worcester
County Musical Association / program book, 1911. Includes program for Granville
Bantock's composition, Omar Khayyám, performed 27 September 1911.
Empty envelopes:
3.7
Empty envelope with handwritten note on outside, undated. Withdrawn from
book: PR 4703 P7.
3.7
Empty envelope with handwritten note on outside, undated. Withdrawn from
book: PR 4703 J3.
3.7
Empty envelope with handwritten notes on outside, undated. Withdrawn from
book: PS 3523 A775 P6 1938
3.7
Empty envelope with handwritten title, Japanese Omar, 1910. Withdrawn from
book: PK 6515 J3 1910.