Volume 5: The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death

The Riverboat pre-release subscription edition, 1965:

The 1967 Riverboat release:

The 1973 Takoma reissue:

Circa 1983 Allegiance Reissue:

This album was first released in a numbered limited edition of 50 copies with hand-written labels. The copy shown here is #1. Interestingly, this label shows the record as being 'IV' but Riverboat's February 1967 commercial release was of course 'Volume 5'. The Riverboat copies are pressed on a strange semi-translucent vinyl (try holding one up to the light). Early copies are all peppered with small craters; later copies are less translucent and have a flat surface. Takoma acquired the Riverboat metals and continued to use them for their own pressings.