[Binding, Fine- Grabau Masterpiece] The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Fitzgerald, Edward (transl) - 1905

New York: The Dodge Pulbishing Company, 1905. First edition thus. 4to. (8" x 10.25") Sumptuously bound in dark green morocco by Grabau (signed in front inner dentelle), chief bookbinder at the Roycroft from 1902-1905, and later forming his own bindery, the Derome Bindery. Grabau is universally considered one of the top American binders in the early 1900's. A wonderful decorative Art Nouveau style binding with a beautiful geometric design made up of nine rectangular panels with gilt grape vines forming an attactive and elongated oval space within the panels, accented with inlaid grapes and leaves. Back cover features the panels accented with gilt stars at the corners. A very unique spine design, filled with lettering in each panel and accented with a leaf tool. Wide gilt decorated turn-ins with watered silk endpapers. Excellent condition--slight fading to spine and a few minor spots of edgewear. Unpaginated with 28 photographs printed on tissue, and 41 pages of text printed to recto of sheets only. Top edge gilt. "Adelaide Hanscom undertook the project of illustrating Omar Khayyám's popular Rubáiyát around 1903, using many notable Bay Area literary figures and artists as her models. The sittings with Hanscom became highly sought-after, and the project was a major professional success for her." (Getty Museum). Featuring a fantastic inscription by George Wharton James, the writer, photographer, and one of the models for the book, whom Hanscom also expresses gratitude to on the preliminary colored page. "The Master Craftsman writes a good poem, builds a magnificent cathedral, paints a glorious picture, carves an attractive statue, writes a great piece of music, binds a good book, digs a straight ditch, ploughs a deep & long furrow - whatever he does he does well. I would be a Master Craftsman in Life - in Living - in Loving, in Being, in Doing." Notably, Wharton James was also good friends with Grabau, and even provided a quote in an ad for Grabau & Bunce's Garret Bindery in The Craftsman, of which Wharton James was on the editorial staff. A fine example of an important and uniquely attractive American period binding.