Drums of Haiti Ethnic Folkways Library (Folkways FE 4403) w/ 8-page booklet Recorded, in the field, in c. 1950. This release issued in 1959.
This Issue: Typical Folkways release, with very heavy cardboard jacket. Front cover has grey background with blue lettering inside white circle near top: album title, in stylized lettering, in semi-circle. Underneath, still inside circle, two lines - also in semi-circle: "RECORDED AND WITH NOTES BY HAROLD COURLANDER" and "ETHNIC FOLKWAYS LIBRARY FOLKWAYS RECORDS FE 4403". Below circle is blue-tinted square photo of musicians.

Back cover has black background except for blue-background vertical strip covering about one-quarter of the side, at right. Inside strip is track list in white letters. Below, printed vertically, is album title in black, stylized letters. Also printed vertically, below title, on two lines in black letters: "COVER DESIGN BY RONALD CLYNE" and, in larger letters, "DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ARE INSIDE POCKET".

Eight-page, 8​1/2​" ​x 11" booklet has explanatory notes for three volumes of Folkways's Haitian field recordings, of which this is the middle one. Ten photographs and a catalog of the label's other releases are included.

Center Labels and Runouts: White label with blue lettering. At top, on two lines, in largest letters: "ETHNIC" and "FOLKWAYS LIBRARY". Below that, on two lines: "Long-Playing Non-Breakable Micro Groove 33​1/3 ​RPM" and "Copyright 1950 by Folkways Records & Serv. Corp., 117 W. 46 St., N.Y.C.". Underneath is album title. On next line: "Recorded in Haiti by Harold Courlander".
To left of center hole: "SIDE l" (or "2"). To right of hole, on two lines: "FE 4403 A" (or "B") and "(3006)" (or "3007"). Track list is below hole with, below that: "Custom molded by Playstylite".
Side l: [stamped] P 403 A [etched] 30504 [abstract symbol] Side 2: [etched] 403B [etched] B[3?]T [etched] EF 3007
Condition of Record: NM. No spindle wear or mark of any kind on side l; side 2 has the slightest of wear on edge of center hole. Record is near-perfect; was played once.
Booklet, too, is near-perfect. No mark, bend, or fold.
Condition of Cover: Folkways covers from this era are nigh-indestructible. Front is clean, photo clear, all text unmarked. A couple of minor wrinkles, at top-center, were there when I bought it. Back cover is also as new, its black surface still with some gloss. No wear visible anywhere - not on spine or at open edge; nor is there ringwear or shelfwear to be seen. No bumped corners, either.

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N A record known to have never been played. A CD that has never been removed from its jewel case.

NM A record or CD known or assumed to have been played. LP may have a surface fingerprint smudge or other minor blemish; it may have slight spindle wear. CD might have been played, but it and its booklet, and its case (or box), show little if any wear. Otherwise, item appears same as N in all respects.
VG++ More handling marks than on NM but should play like new. VG More than a few . If so, will be