Jeans of the Old West: A History

[killer b]

yeah, they look pretty sweet on. are they actually wearable, or would they fall apart if any strain were put on them?

[Rivet Head]

Those are amazing Sansome!

[Sansome1877]

yeah, they look pretty sweet on. are they actually wearable, or would they fall apart if any strain were put on them?

I don't think they would fall apart, you would probably want to patch the weak spots in the denim and secure the buttons.

Joseph- I hope to have more control over price, next time around.

Rivet head- Thanks! The jeans fit eltopo perfect.

[rnrswitch]

I've been considering my opinion, and have revised. Crotch reinforcements are A-OK. Unfortunately it is moot, as if they meet production, it is unlikely that A: I could afford them, and B:I could slip them past the fiancee. (especially considering that I finally acquired a pair of Wabash!)

Pics of wabash man.

[Sansome1877]

Pics of wabash man.

Lets have those pics -from when you and Paul T met up in the U.K:D

[Maynard Friedman]

Lets have those pics -from when you and Paul T met up in the U.K:D

Here you go.

In the pub. The transatlantic duo were surprised at how alike they were:

They moved on to do some karaoke (note Paul T's crotch repair):

The boys monopolized the karaoke machine all night. The ROYxCones took severe punishment from their wild dance moves:

[rnrswitch]

How'd you get those pics?

Check out our ROYxCones though, eh eh. Already getting some tears in them. Looking good no doubt. And the matching Aero horsehide bootleggers as well? Shit. We were killing it.

[Charlie Delta]

Let's try not to go too far off topic.

Thanks!

[Sansome1877]

A friend of mine( with a 30 inch waist) tried on the other pair of Walton N. Moore pants.

[rnrswitch]

nice. Those look like they have a felled inseam. Could you post pics of the inseam?

[Sansome1877]

nice. Those look like they have a felled inseam. Could you post pics of the inseam?

Yep...Will post pics tomorrow.

[Sansome1877]

IMO- this is the coolest piece of clothing I have ever found, I think that finding a company that will commit to reproducing this blanket lined- duck duster, will be almost impossible?

[Sansome1877]

It looks like the two horse brand, went through a number of small changes in the first 20 years... I think you can date Levi's from the late 1880's up until the teens- depending on what two horse brand is being used. The last three patches, are using what I think is the first two horse brand.

[Sansome1877]

This is what I am calling the first two horse brand ( I am only talking about how the two horses are drawn, not the wording) This complete ad, is the first pocket bag stamp used in 1890. Levi won the silver medal, in the state fair- September 1890. Levi won the the mechanics fair in October 1890. Both awards were added to this ad^ in January 1891... the pocket bag was also changed, to include both medals, probably at the same time as the ad?

[Dr_Heech]

Great stuff as always mike. When's the second book due? Must be soon?

[Sansome1877]

Great stuff as always mike. When's the second book due? Must be soon?

Looks like we will turn the book over to the publisher- at the end of August. Hopefully it will be out before the year ends???

[Sansome1877]

This is the same ad, with the awards added. This ad first appears...January 6 1891.

[Sansome1877]

The ad before the awards.

[Sansome1877]

This ad first appears in late 1891. I saw a spring bottom pant a few months back, it had a pocket bag stamp with the awards that you see, at the top of this page. The label on this spring bottom pant has this two horse brand that you see above^. It looks like the two horse brand was changed, in mid, or late 1891.

On a side note.... this spring bottom label I saw, still has no lot numbers on it.

[Sansome1877]

nice. Those look like they have a felled inseam. Could you post pics of the inseam?

The seam you asked about.

[zissou]

I wish more jeans makers did felled inseams these days...

[Sansome1877]

I wish more jeans makers did felled inseams these days...

Have any idea why they don't?

Here is a link to one of our recent finds (video quality isn't the best)http://www.flickr.com/photos/52982610@N06/6019947754/

[zissou]

Don't know, Mike. KMW does it, and I think Double Volante does as well. But, they both make one of the two stitches with an indigo thread to make it look from the outside like it is not felled.

Great find a vid!

[rnrswitch]

I am not a huge fan of felled inseams. they remind me of wranglers too much, but I would like to see a hand felled inseam some time. I haven't ever seen that. Felled seams are cleaner and arguably stronger, though.

Also, love the video Mike.

[Sansome1877]

Still on the fence about the button holes on this piece, I think I am leaning towards machine made button holes... I've never seen a machine made button hole on a 1870's piece,thanks for all of the rep and kind words. I am cleaning up the quilt we found, it looks like it might have been made in the 1850's and patched up two or three times with 1870's fabric. Here are a few more links http://www.flickr.com/photos/52982610@N06/6019418877/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52982610@N06/6019925864/

[wgmds]

this may sound stupid, but who the fuck just left their pants in the mine they were working in? i feel like construction workers (my idea of the the future's coal miners) would never rip off their wranglers one day.

[Sansome1877]

this may sound stupid, but who the fuck just left their pants in the mine they were working in? i feel like construction workers (my idea of the the future's coal miners) would never rip off their wranglers one day.

I think these pants were already worn out and just being used to cut into pieces, most of the clothing back then was recycled. It sort of looks like, clothing was recycled in mines up until the 1940's?

[Sansome1877]

Here are two links, that have my father in law and I finding these two items.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52982610@N06/6031340267/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52982610@N06/6031888220/

[Sansome1877]

Not sure if this is Y Chow's patent?

[Rivet Head]

Nice videos Sansome! Did you dig out all that denim?