Jeans of the Old West: A History

[Sansome1877]

You should sue Levis for that Mike, give 'em a taste of their own medicine;)

I think I will hold off on the lawsuit, it's a great way to advertise the book! The strange thing is, I never expected my book to show up at a Levi store. I Sure would like to see them in more Levi stores!

[morse9443]

The Levis store carrying your book seems like the perfect combo...pursue a distribution deal with them!

[Sansome1877]

The Levis store carrying your book seems like the perfect combo...pursue a distribution deal with them!

Good idea Morse!!!!

[rnrswitch]

i liked your old style better.

Dude. you and my old lady both. I liked it too. I switch it up every once in a while.

50/50 miner/rockabilly

[eltopo]

Congrats Mike on the book being in the Levi store. Switch people just dont know how long we have been around, we haven't changed a bit. Took a couple quick fit pics of the Neustadters, got dark real quick.

[entertainment!]

^perfect fit. wow.

[joelz]

That's strange, is it for sale? Can you look through the book?

Not for sale, it was just in the tailoring area ... mostly for display purposes and to flip through

[Sansome1877]

Not for sale, it was just in the tailoring area ... mostly for display purposes and to flip through

Good to hear that the book is on display joelz, thanks for the update. Eltopo nice fit, I am surprized that you and switch don't look that much different, from when you hauled freight back in the 1890's.

[Joseph Hill]

Check out the cuffs on these 1890's hipsters, while they pose for fit pics.

So eltopo, the quilted jacket. Where to cop?

Oh, sorry, I thought I was Edmond for a second...

[wgmds]

more like das mid 20th century europe.

POW POW POW

[rodeo bill]

i haven't had time to follow this brilliant thread properly lately, so sorry if this has already come up (might well've). Anyone in London should take a look at the Eadweard Muybridge (flying horse, zoopraxiscope, father of film etc etc) show at Tate Britain. Really nice.

One of the things I didn't know about him is that he lived and worked in San Francisco in the 1870s. There's a fantastic 7ft panorama of the whole city in 1877, exactly the time jeans were evolving:

obviously being a panorama it's rather a wide image... low res but bigger here. It's amazingly detailed- I found it lovely looking down into the streets and imagining what it would've been like to walk through them. Spent embarassingly long and had to rush round the rest of the exhibition to catch up with my friend:rolleyes:

[Sansome1877]

Wgmds what can you tell me about the denim you posted? What age is it and maker if possible? I am looking for work wear items from the teens and twenties, I am interested in this age range for the next two books. Rodeo nice work, thanks for posting that panoramic pic of early S.F!!!

[lance]

wgmds - cool denim jacket/shirt

[wgmds]

Wgmds what can you tell me about the denim you posted? What age is it and maker if possible? I am looking for work wear items from the teens and twenties, I am interested in this age range for the next two books. Rodeo nice work, thanks for posting that panoramic pic of early S.F!!!

They are both american world war II work shirts given to prisoners of war (most likely those who were brought to america). The bottom one has a PW on the back signifying prison of war. I believe they were just made by the army, not sure what company specifically. Sadly, it misses your time period.

http://s450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/dsdranoff/?action=view&current=DSC_1350.jpg&newest=1

here's me looking like a whore.

wgmds - cool denim jacket/shirt

thanks!

[bluegoldblues]

i haven't had time to follow this brilliant thread properly lately, so sorry if this has already come up (might well've). Anyone in London should take a look at the Eadweard Muybridge (flying horse, zoopraxiscope, father of film etc etc) show at Tate Britain. Really nice.

One of the things I didn't know about him is that he lived and worked in San Francisco in the 1870s. There's a fantastic 7ft panorama of the whole city in 1877, exactly the time jeans were evolving:

obviously being a panorama it's rather a wide image... low res but bigger here. It's amazingly detailed- I found it lovely looking down into the streets and imagining what it would've been like to walk through them. Spent embarassingly long and had to rush round the rest of the exhibition to catch up with my friend:rolleyes:

Fantastic image, thanks for posting will check it out for sure

[Madder_Lake]

One thing that has surprised me for a long time is that there have not been reproductions done of the U.S. cavalry's shirts, as made famous in all those John Ford/John Wayne westerns such as The Horse Soldiers and My Darling Clementine. I assume that they were dyed in indigo but I have no idea what they were originally made from, or whether the John Ford representations were accurate. But they were very cool and surely would have sold like crazy to motorcyclists wanting wind protection.

Anyone have any information on those placket-type shirts?

[crownzip]

That's late 1930's-40's Army issue denim that was worn by enlisted men. If you can get a close up shot of the zinc buttons you'll see they're stamped US Army. Army denim was also issued to POW's during the war who were brought to the US and was stamped PW.

[Joseph Hill]

One thing that has surprised me for a long time is that there have not been reproductions done of the U.S. cavalry's shirts, as made famous in all those John Ford/John Wayne westerns such as The Horse Soldiers and My Darling Clementine. I assume that they were dyed in indigo but I have no idea what they were originally made from, or whether the John Ford representations were accurate. But they were very cool and surely would have sold like crazy to motorcyclists wanting wind protection.

Anyone have any information on those placket-type shirts?

River Junction carries WahMaker and Heirloom brand bib shirts. I've got some WahMaker pants that are very nice, but I've got no idea on quality of the shirts for either brand.

When the firlfriend buys me clothes they are invariably stamped PW, but it has a different meaning.

[Madder_Lake]

River Junction carries WahMaker and Heirloom brand bib shirts. I've got some WahMaker pants that are very nice, but I've got no idea on quality of the shirts for either brand.

When the firlfriend buys me clothes they are invariably stamped PW, but it has a different meaning.

Thanks, I'll check them out!

Does the girlfriend's name start with a W?

[Joseph Hill]

Think P Whipped.

[Madder_Lake]

Think P Whipped.

LOL ok I was guessing Prisoner of Wendy, but that works too.

[eltopo]

couple fit photos of the A.B. Efelts. Love these jeans.

www.banditphotographer.com

[aso2004]

Nice pictures Eltopo.

Jeans look amazing

How is the high rise ??

[eltopo]

Love the high rise! Super comfy, tons of room. Good change for me.

[aso2004]

Good, wanted to look into a pair with a higher waist as well....

Was a bit worried that the rigidness of the denim would be the same as my carhartt workers but they are duck

I'll see what I can come up with in a pair in denim....

[Sansome1877]

I think this guy could be wearing an 1879 Levi blouse, Roy6 has a repro of this blouse/jacket. I don't think a physical example of this jacket has ever been found? Pocket flaps started showing up in 1878, on Levi competitors clothing, so I think this Levi blouse existed with pocket flaps? An early 1874-76 Levi blouse is in the book on page 33, no flaps on that one.

[Sansome1877]

Nice fit eltopo!!

[fardin]

nice pic samsone. thats a famous 1900s cowboy pic. never seen a close up. i dont think its that blouse. looks more like a closed jumper, the pleads and the opening doesnt go all the way down imho

[Sansome1877]

This is what lead silver oar looks like.

[roy6]

I think this guy could be wearing an 1879 Levi blouse, Roy6 has a repro of this blouse/jacket. I don't think a physical example of this jacket has ever been found? Pocket flaps started showing up in 1878, on Levi competitors clothing, so I think this Levi blouse existed with pocket flaps? An early 1874-76 Levi blouse is in the book on page 33, no flaps on that one.

Here's the repro:

I remember reading somewhere that there is an existing example in a Japanese collection, but that could be hearsay.

p.s. Sansome- on the 1904/05 catalog I am unable to make out the "XX the standard for __ years" line definitely, as it is so small, but it seems to be "30".