Collecting Riverside: Some Helpful Hints
This was posted by Michel as a comment on the earlier post “The Rise of the Second Pressing?” I’m repeating it here so it will be easier to find for anyone doing a search on Riverside. It is quite helpful, I think, for all of us to share this information, on Riverside as well as the other collectible labels.
Riverside label is complex, and tricky. Here are some points of interests:
From beginning to around 240-241-242 : “white label era” : labels are white with
clear blue lettering. Some flat edges.
From 242 to around 270-280 (probable overlappings) : “large blue label era” : the original labels are LARGE blue, the deep groove is not always pronounced. Some of them bears a Pat pend US abd GB for export purposes (after that Fontana pressend directly in England)
From 280 to around 330-335 (probable overlappings): “small blue label era”: the original labels are SMALL.
From 330-335 to the end: “new style large blue label era” : back to the LARGE label, BUT, with a more pronounced and squared deep groove. Anyway, on some titles, during the end of this period, deep groove COEXISTS with no deep groove. Means that different stampers where used at the same time.
Anyway, when “large blue labels era” titles were later reissued, they have the small label : those reissue are often taken as original, and they are not.And you can also find “small label era” titles, reissued later with new style large labels DG or not. Cover has often a thinner spine.
Hope this will helps. Many other issues such as adresses, lamination.
Al, one thing that would be extremely helpful is posting pictures of the various labels. Your Riverside post was great (as usual), but for those of us who don’t have a lot we will probably still get confused. Just something to consider.
Michel, sorry to bother you, but I have one more question.
I have two 258 copies as follows:
a) laminated cover, 553 W. adress, small DG blue label;
b) non-laminated cover, 235 W. adress, big DG blue label, without US and GB patent numbers in dead wax.
Could b) be a 2nd re-issue (after the first small label re-issue)?
I have 264 like a): lamination, 553 W., small blue DG label, so this combination exists. But the b) combination seams weird.
The 258 has originally a arge label. So your a) is a second.Many collectors believe the small label is the original !
your b) is a third, with a large label, second type, non laminated cover and recent adress.
For the a) Riverside still used the classic laminated cover,and 553 adress but for the b) its a newer one, not laminated and 235 adress. Narrow spine maybe.
Regarding the 264, the small label / lamination cover exists (same fot Pepper Adams 10 to 5) But the original label is the old style large. I have a NM large blue of this one… but i’m still looking for a fine original cover..
Thanks for the info Michel,
I have Pepper Adams 10 to 5 with laminated cover, 553 W adress and small label. I had a stereo version too, but that one had one track missing which is only on the mono version. So I sold the stereo.
The same phenomenon with Jazz Contrasts, K.D. 239. The stereo version has also one track missing. I still have both.
Al:
This is a great page. Very helpful for me as I try to navigate the ebay waters in looking for original pressings of some of my favorite LPs.
I’ve been assembling a labelography page on my website and recently added Riverside (scroll to bottom of page):
http://33rev.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=68
This is a really useful thread. Can anyone tell me what are the features of a first pressing of Thelonious Monk’s Misterioso
RLP 12-279 ?
Was it on a small label first?
Was the original cover laminated?
I’ve seen some being sold as “original” with and without the red Riverside Contemporary Series banner at the top right. Which is first?
What kind of inner sleeve would a 1st pressing have come with?
And finally was there a UK or European pressing within a year or so of the USA release?
Thank you to anyone who might be able to share this knowledge.
One easy way to differentiate between the blue labels is the bottom line of text on the first large and second small label is “Bill Grauer Productions” while the third and last blue label added Inc. at the end for “Bill Grauer Productions Inc”.
Inc does not appear on Riverside labels until after 12-329, 331-333 and 339 are the exceptions. These correspond with the 1100 stereo releases, originals in this series should have no Inc on the label. There are probably exceptions. Most early Riversides came with rice paper sleeves
I just picked up a second press (large blue label, no Inc.) of RLP 12-201 Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington and on the back it states it was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder. Did he record any other Riverside titles? Also my copy doesn’t have RVG in the deadwax, is it on any Riverside LP?
There are some more early sessions (1955-56) recorded by RvG, 12-209 “The Unique Thelonious Monk” being one of them.