Levi's Vintage Clothing

[underdog77]

Hello,

I frequent the forum but have never posted. I recently bought some jeans on eBay and was wondering if someone could shed some light on what they are exactly. The denim is beautiful, heavy, selvedge. I'm unable to add attachments so I can only describe them. The tag reads:

W30L36 501 0003

0240 co 3

MADE IN USA WPL 423

555 71944-3 1197

The seller advertised them as a Spring LVC 2000 Valencia 1947 model. They have a double sided big "E" tab, leather-LIKE patch with an almost military type font to the numbers, orange and lemon yellow stiching, 555 on back of top button, and the shape of them is too boxey around the hips to be 1947s. I was thinking they were 55s but the shape might even be more like a 66'. Can anyone decipher anything from the tag? Thanks for the help.

[Sansome1877]

Did LVC make the 1893 201- dead man's pants? The back side of the pants are in Paul T's book- page 22. I wanted to know what type of waistband it has and if it had a pocket bag stamp? Paul and roy6, thanks for the rivet photos.

[Dr_Heech]

Hello,

I frequent the forum but have never posted. I recently bought some jeans on eBay and was wondering if someone could shed some light on what they are exactly. The denim is beautiful, heavy, selvedge. I'm unable to add attachments so I can only describe them. The tag reads:

W30L36 501 0003

0240 co 3

MADE IN USA WPL 423

555 71944-3 1197

The seller advertised them as a Spring LVC 2000 Valencia 1947 model. They have a double sided big "E" tab, leather-LIKE patch with an almost military type font to the numbers, orange and lemon yellow stiching, 555 on back of top button, and the shape of them is too boxey around the hips to be 1947s. I was thinking they were 55s but the shape might even be more like a 66'. Can anyone decipher anything from the tag? Thanks for the help.

555 denotes that they were made in the now defunct Valencia st. factory.

Cant tell what model they are, probably 55's from the info.

The tag says 11 97, which equates to november '97, the time these were produced.

Hope this helps?

.

[Dr_Heech]

Did LVC make the 1893 201- dead man's pants? The back side of the pants are in Paul T's book- page 22. I wanted to know what type of waistband it has and if it had a pocket bag stamp? Paul and roy6, thanks for the rivet photos.

I think I've nagged Paul about this, wanting to know more about the leather patch (why on 1893 201's when all the other c1890's I've seen pics of have the linen patch??)

I think He said, he has the transparencies from the images in his book IIRC. Would like a closer look !

.

[Paul T]

Did LVC make the 1893 201- dead man's pants? The back side of the pants are in Paul T's book- page 22. I wanted to know what type of waistband it has and if it had a pocket bag stamp? Paul and roy6, thanks for the rivet photos.

LVC never made them. I sent Lynn questions about those pants later and she was very vague. I have to get the transparencies back form my co-author - I've tried blwoing up the repro scan and found no more info.

[Paul T]

Hello,

The seller advertised them as a Spring LVC 2000 Valencia 1947 model. They have a double sided big "E" tab, leather-LIKE patch with an almost military type font to the numbers, orange and lemon yellow stiching, 555 on back of top button, and the shape of them is too boxey around the hips to be 1947s. I was thinking they were 55s but the shape might even be more like a 66'. Can anyone decipher anything from the tag? Thanks for the help.

they do sound like 55s - if they have hidden rivets, ie you can feel rivets at the top corners of the rear pcoekts, and see them from inside, then they definitely are. If they're 66, the pockets will simply be stitched on. The 1955 repros will also have 'Every garment guaranted' on the leather-like tab (it disappeared by 66, altho people still did return their ripped jeans to the factory and occasioanlyl get them replaced).

More info on the 501 visual guide .

I am not sure when the internal tags started featuring the full model number. Maybe 2000. Earlier tags have limited info (555 55 from April 1998, the famous 'pomata jeans'):

You could always post photos! It's good to see these earlier 555 jeans, they have more quirks than some of the later ones.

[Stratos]

still looking for suspender buttons for my 37's...not the carhartt ones, they're dope but I want something more authentic...anyone know where to cop?

Dunno if you ever order at Cultizm, but they must be able to help you. I needed clip ons for my '37's and simply mentioned that in a mail when discussing a different order. A few days later, my order arrived, WITH a smal box of branded Levi's clip ons. Actually, I have a spare box left...

[Shorty Long]

wow. this looks legit. not sure they'll get that much for it though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-LEVIS-SHORT-HORN-WESTERN-SHIRT-BIG-E-DEADSTOCK-/150532341594?pt=Vintage_Men_s_Clothing&hash=item230c6d3f5a#ht_1111wt_907

[Stratos]

wow. this looks legit. not sure they'll get that much for it though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-LEVIS-SHORT-HORN-WESTERN-SHIRT-BIG-E-DEADSTOCK-/150532341594?pt=Vintage_Men_s_Clothing&hash=item230c6d3f5a#ht_1111wt_907

Looks a tad too good to be true, dunnit?

[underdog77]

they do sound like 55s - if they have hidden rivets, ie you can feel rivets at the top corners of the rear pcoekts, and see them from inside, then they definitely are. If they're 66, the pockets will simply be stitched on. The 1955 repros will also have 'Every garment guaranted' on the leather-like tab (it disappeared by 66, altho people still did return their ripped jeans to the factory and occasioanlyl get them replaced).

More info on the 501 visual guide .

I am not sure when the internal tags started featuring the full model number. Maybe 2000. Earlier tags have limited info (555 55 from April 1998, the famous 'pomata jeans'):

Ah, of course. I have some 66s and completely forgot about the bar tacks. They are 55s then. Thanks very much for the info. It's interesting to find them to be older than I thought too. I'll try to figure out how to post some photos but for now my profile says that I'm unable to post attachments. I'm going to keep these. I was just wondering since I bought them and they were badly misrepresented in the auction, if they're considered fairly collectable or are they still out there?

[Paul T]

You might not be able to post attachments, but load your pics onto photobucket or imageshack and you should be able to post photos straight away.

The 555 jeans are getting rarer - people have been asking hyped up prices, because these jeans were made in Levi's old factory as Dr Heech pointed out, but not achieving them. At the moment they're maybe 20% more than the newer jeans, because they're seen as having more of a link with Levi's tradition. Perhaps as time goes on they will be seen as being even more collectable. There are a bunch of people here who have the 555 55 here, because pomata, a member here, found a stash which we all bought. But these days they're pretty rare, and a few pages back I believe one dealer was asking a high price for them (don't believe s/he got it).

These are maybe, given that bit of heritage, the nicest LVC to have. If you got them for a pretty much standard 1947 price, that was a good pickup.

[Sansome1877]

LVC never made them. I sent Lynn questions about those pants later and she was very vague. I have to get the transparencies back form my co-author - I've tried blwoing up the repro scan and found no more info.

Did you ever see these in person? I noticed that the pant has a single needle yolk stitch, it's looking like the single needle yolk stitch goes away in 1892, for both 501 and 201? BTW this looks like a leather patch on the dead man's pants?

[Dr_Heech]

Sorry it's just a quick link but just found these original '37-'41 701's.

Check out the two-tone yoke stitching !

- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280602212743&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

.

[Madder_Lake]

Sorry it's just a quick link but just found these original '37-'41 701's.

Check out the two-tone yoke stitching !

- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280602212743&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

.

Nice arcs on these too !

[grooveholmes]

Beautiful!

[cheapmuthafukr]

looks like a pair of evisu

[attackwithstones]

I love those 701s.

So Paul, the 701's that I have a very similar to the ones Dr. listed. Except mine has a paper patch and the cinch back is lower on my repros. The buttons are donut holes and the jeans have the crotch rivet too.

Does this mean the 701's I have could be a real repro and not a completely made up jean????

[erbs]

Anyone know where I can pick up a pair of '55s in a 33x34? The usual sources are sold out.

[dr.house]

Nicee Doc!

[Paul T]

I love those 701s.

So Paul, the 701's that I have a very similar to the ones Dr. listed. Except mine has a paper patch and the cinch back is lower on my repros. The buttons are donut holes and the jeans have the crotch rivet too.

Does this mean the 701's I have could be a real repro and not a completely made up jean????

Those are theLady Levi's I thought yours were before seeing the photo - they are Sanforized, unusually for early Levi's, and the repros (and the originals, from the 40s on) have a very carrot-shaped cut.

[tigger]

I was in Cinch yesterday. The shop looks a lot better now, much more stock: jackets, shirts, t-shirts etc. Still can't believe £ 215 for the jeans though.

[Madder_Lake]

At this point, and then a couple times later, I was asked to stop taking pictures, but I decided to be charmingly non-compliant.

.

LOL @ chamingly noncompliant

[Paul T]

Great report, thanks. (the 66 does use Cone, altho the pre 1915 jeans don't). Barnyard and Spurbites look pretty good, some of their first washes from denim tech I believe, looking forward to seeing them in the flesh.

DO tell more about the rolls of fabric, including duck, behind senor moy. I heard they would make aprons in the shop. True? And anything else?

[roy6]

Great report, thanks. (the 66 does use Cone, altho the pre 1915 jeans don't). Barnyard and Spurbites look pretty good, some of their first washes from denim tech I believe, looking forward to seeing them in the flesh.

DO tell more about the rolls of fabric, including duck, behind senor moy. I heard they would make aprons in the shop. True? And anything else?

Your wish, my command.

[roy6]

Great report, thanks. (the 66 does use Cone, altho the pre 1915 jeans don't). Barnyard and Spurbites look pretty good, some of their first washes from denim tech I believe, looking forward to seeing them in the flesh.

I thought LVC was trying to source all of their denim from Cone- are the early models still Japanese denim?

The two washed repros looked alright. I don't see them setting the world on fire, but they look comparable to some of the better washes I've seen from LVC over the years. The stitching on the patches of the Spur Bites was a bit too even and consistent, but the Barnyard one did look pretty convincing. Do you know much about Denim Tech?

I realize the label probably is right for the 'Spur Bites', since they're new repros. Odd though, because LVC already made a model called that (1901s?) with spur holes in the back of the cuff, which these don't have.

Couldn't get good overall pictures of these, as they are in a very narrow hallway, but:

[Leonard Leroy]

yo its bugging me out to see moy all levi's out instead of hare m65 and CP

[Madder_Lake]

Last night watched the '67 movie Here we go around the Mulberry Bush. In the beginning of the film the main character, played by Barry Evans, wears Levis. They are pretty slim fitting so I guess that they are the '67 505's, but you never get a close up on them. They have been bleached to all fuck so that they look artificially worn-in.

I am guessing that many here will know that the film has one of the best soundtracks of the 60's, by Spencer Davis Group and Traffic.

And it has Judy Geeson.

[dr.house]

Greaat stuff roy6. But hey, I highly doubt that the 55 repros are made of 15 oz. denim...(like it's written on those boards).

[Paul T]

Greaat stuff roy6. But hey, I highly doubt that the 55 repros are made of 15 oz. denim...(like it's written on those boards).

I think they're quoting the post-wash weight. Even so, 15oz...

[rnrswitch]

Roy6,

The duck that you refer to, I believe, is not the "Dead Grass" color that Sansome searches for. I think the Dead Grass color is more of a light brown maybe almost gray. I guess if you just think of what dead grass looks like. Since you are a landscaper extraordinaire you may not know what that looks like, but me being one to neglect his yard every once in a while have come across it before.

edit: but that ain't my yard. just a pic pulled off the internet.