Levi's Vintage Clothing

[Happy Hooligan]

what a find... I wonder if they hand painted on those arcs back then or they had a roller device that did it for them...

I assume it was a roller device and if so... where is it today?

[devilish]

Historically, anything in a 501xx with a waist 30" or smaller, have only three buttons. Sizes above 38" generally have five buttons.

Early levis (1800's - 1920ish) have only three buttons.

Those are beauts, thanks for posting the link.

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Ahh, that makes perfect sense. Thanks for info. They would be fantastic to have in anyone's collection and even if they were the right size I'm not sure I'd ever wear them. Except maybe in front of a mirror once in awhile.

[Denton]

damn, if only I had a spare $2550

[Stratos]

This may be a stupid question, but how can you tell these aren't repro's? I mean, I'm a little sceptical since they look so perfect and the seller isn't mentioning an origin...

[tropicalbird]

Those '44 look like shit, definitely not a repro.

[Stratos]

Right...do you have any actual argument apart from 'they look like shit'? I'd say that an original pair would have already reached a higher bid by now...

[beautiful_FrEaK]

still 6 days and 14 hours to go...enough time to spend some money.

I think you could distinguish a repro and an original by looking at the tags

[tropicalbird]

Originals are full of messy stitches while repro's more cleanly made, that's my observation. Also on ebay valencia 555 '47s 30x38 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Levis-LVC-1947-501xx-jeans-Valencia-Street-555-W30-L38-/160568057454?pt=Men_s_Clothes&hash=item25629a1e6e @100 pound

[Stratos]

Yeah I know, I'm not saying that they aren't genuine, it's just that it seems improbable...

[Paul T]

There have been people worried that repro Levi's could become the basis for fakes. But when you've held both in your hands, it's fairly easy to tell - partly because LVC haven't been going for so long, hence it's easy to recall the quirks of their originals. It would be hard, at the moment, for an independent to set up to produce fakes, as you'd need a lot of specialised equi[ments (I guess the 1890s one would be easier, as they don't use so much specialised sewing gear if you could source the denim!).

This, my favourite photo, instantly distinguishes these as original. Check out the beautifully scrappy stitching on the crotch, and also the unique look of the rivets. And of course I love the pocket bag stampings, which we alos have on the nippers' late 60s 302.

And more photos, so we don't lose them. We can see how the 2-horse patch is very close indeed to the repro. But look how unusual the stitching is, two lines on some side, running short on others. I wonder if the next example along on the produciton line was completely different?

And also the 'feel' of the pocket stitching. Note how the interior line curves in around the hidden rivets, and is more curved on the rights hand side of the pocket than the left! Again, I think LVC get the feel of this right.

(Edit:Incidentally, I can tell the colour on these is off - the vendor underexposed, I've managed to get some detail back but they're over-sharpened, which gives a different look. The first photo (above, with the patch) gives the most accurate impression of the denim itself.)

Again, note how "freestyle" the stitching round the rivets is It varies a little at all four sites and is quite wobbly. Not also where the lines of he yokes meet in the middle - there is no 'stagger' as you'll get on 1947 Levi's, which is the most beautiful construction. Here, the two lines of yoke sitching run into each other, on the 47 one would sit above the other, which actually means the yoke is perfeclty symmetrical. Here, the yoke is slightly deeper on the right than on the left.

Here are my 40s LVC as a comparison. I think it gets the feel very well - I would really like to see them introduce rayon red tags which scrunch up and get distorted like the originals.

[cheapmuthafukr]

originals look like a pair of warehouse.

[grooveholmes]

Wonderful photos-- I'm particularly drawn to the coin and back pocket stitching, how it seems to run over the edges. How does the denim compare? From the looks of things, it appears they've got it pretty close.

Edit: Ah, I didn't see those are 302s. My bad.

[Paul T]

No, those are all 501. I do have the late 60s 302 pictured elsewhere.

(and sorry, I did write in a confusing way).

[grooveholmes]

Sorry for the confusion, Paul. I misread your comment on the 302s: read it as a segway into the first photo with the stamped tag.

[Paul T]

My bad, poorly expressed, not yours.

Nipper's 302 are lookng pretty good - just came back mud encrusted, so their second partial hand wash. I will pop all the photos up on the vintage thread.

These show the 'stagger' in the yoke, look at this shape compared to the 40s pair. Mizza put some wonderful stuff about this in the 'having a pair of jeans made' thread. Many consider the late 40s construction, with a symmetrical yoke, as the most subtle and beautiful.

[civicex]

Excellent work, Pablo T!

[airfrogusmc]

My bad, poorly expressed, not yours.

Nipper's 302 are lookng pretty good - just came back mud encrusted, so their second partial hand wash. I will pop all the photos up on the vintage thread.

These show the 'stagger' in the yoke, look at this shape compared to the 40s pair. Mizza put some wonderful stuff about this in the 'having a pair of jeans made' thread. Many consider the late 40s construction, with a symmetrical yoke, as the most subtle and beautiful.

Gotta spread it around but would rep if I could bro.

[mikedbt5]

Shameless plug !! Just posted a pair of 1954 501zxx repro on supermarket , tag size W36 L34 , been hot soaked once only .

[crownzip]

The dead give away for original vintage Levi's is the type font on the red tab. LVC probably for legal reasons doesn't get it right.

There have been people worried that repro Levi's could become the basis for fakes. But when you've held both in your hands, it's fairly easy to tell - partly because LVC haven't been going for so long, hence it's easy to recall the quirks of their originals. It would be hard, at the moment, for an independent to set up to produce fakes, as you'd need a lot of specialised equi[ments (I guess the 1890s one would be easier, as they don't use so much specialised sewing gear if you could source the denim!).

This, my favourite photo, instantly distinguishes these as original. Check out the beautifully scrappy stitching on the crotch, and also the unique look of the rivets. And of course I love the pocket bag stampings, which we alos have on the nippers' late 60s 302.

And more photos, so we don't lose them. We can see how the 2-horse patch is very close indeed to the repro. But look how unusual the stitching is, two lines on some side, running short on others. I wonder if the next example along on the produciton line was completely different?

And also the 'feel' of the pocket stitching. Note how the interior line curves in around the hidden rivets, and is more curved on the rights hand side of the pocket than the left! Again, I think LVC get the feel of this right.

(Edit:Incidentally, I can tell the colour on these is off - the vendor underexposed, I've managed to get some detail back but they're over-sharpened, which gives a different look. The first photo (above, with the patch) gives the most accurate impression of the denim itself.)

Again, note how "freestyle" the stitching round the rivets is It varies a little at all four sites and is quite wobbly. Not also where the lines of he yokes meet in the middle - there is no 'stagger' as you'll get on 1947 Levi's, which is the most beautiful construction. Here, the two lines of yoke sitching run into each other, on the 47 one would sit above the other, which actually means the yoke is perfeclty symmetrical. Here, the yoke is slightly deeper on the right than on the left.

Here are my 40s LVC as a comparison. I think it gets the feel very well - I would really like to see them introduce rayon red tags which scrunch up and get distorted like the originals.

[jewellben]

Shameless plug !! Just posted a pair of 1954 501zxx repro on supermarket , tag size W36 L34 , been hot soaked once only .

I've got a pair of 1944 and 1933 on the supermarket as we're plugging!!

[misterh]

can anyone help me identify these? I picked them up really cheap at a local thrift store. I'm hoping they will fit my wife in a few weeks after our baby is born.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

obviously a 501 '66. and as it looks made by LVC japan

[geezluiz1]

I bought these jeans and was amazed to find out that they were a reproduction made in '96. I spent some time researching them and found out that these jeans are an "incorrect" reproduction of 201's. The patch on these is leather and they are made of Cone Mills denim with a slightly heavier weight of 12 oz. rather than 10 oz. These were produced in the 555 Valencia St. factory and were not continued due to the mistakes of the details.

The denim is hairy and is deep blue in color. I've read that Levi's released a raw pair and a pre-washed pair of these. I've read several posts by airfrogusmc in which he stated that these jeans are slow to fade. They fit snug at the waist but tend to loosen up down the leg like all of the 201s. The selvedge is close to pink which looks amazing. They have the hidden rivets in the back pockets and the crotch rivet.

If anyone has more information on these, such as the years produced until, how many seasons they were sold in, or anything else that may be of interest, please share. The last discussion of these in this thread was back in 2009.

Here are some pictures :

[jewellben]

Motivation for breaking my 1933 in!

[Dr_Heech]

I bought these jeans and was amazed to find out that they were a reproduction made in '96. I spent some time researching them and found out that these jeans are an "incorrect" reproduction of 201's.

If anyone has more information on these, such as the years produced until, how many seasons they were sold in, or anything else that may be of interest, please share. The last discussion of these in this thread was back in 2009.

Research more thoroughly and you'll find that they are in fact an incorrect '501xx'

.

[colgems1966]

obviously a 501 '66. and as it looks made by LVC japan

that's exactly what they are. i've got a pair, great jeans. wish i had found mine in a thrift shop.

[colgems1966]

I bought these jeans and was amazed to find out that they were a reproduction made in '96. I spent some time researching them and found out that these jeans are an "incorrect" reproduction of 201's. The patch on these is leather and they are made of Cone Mills denim with a slightly heavier weight of 12 oz. rather than 10 oz. These were produced in the 555 Valencia St. factory and were not continued due to the mistakes of the details.

The denim is hairy and is deep blue in color. I've read that Levi's released a raw pair and a pre-washed pair of these. I've read several posts by airfrogusmc in which he stated that these jeans are slow to fade. They fit snug at the waist but tend to loosen up down the leg like all of the 201s. The selvedge is close to pink which looks amazing. They have the hidden rivets in the back pockets and the crotch rivet.

If anyone has more information on these, such as the years produced until, how many seasons they were sold in, or anything else that may be of interest, please share. The last discussion of these in this thread was back in 2009.

Here are some pictures :

i think they only made then in 96&97. real quirky, i like mine. they are slow to fade but the denim is very tough. you'd really have to work hard to wear these out.

[Dr_Heech]

that's exactly what they are. i've got a pair, great jeans. wish i had found mine in a thrift shop.

Some here -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290552668972&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Early model too 8/96.

.

[geezluiz1]

Research more thoroughly and you'll find that they are in fact an incorrect '501xx'

.

Right! I've read that they are almost identical to the 1937 501xx. From looking at pictures of both, they do appear to have the same fit and details (arcs slightly different).

i think they only made then in 96&97. real quirky, i like mine. they are slow to fade but the denim is very tough. you'd really have to work hard to wear these out.

I was thinking they were only made from 96-97 also because they discontinued the model because of its discrepancies. Although, another member on this forum said he had purchased several 201's with a leather patch over the course of several years. I'm not sure if he purchased 201s from different seasons or if he purchased several pairs from the same season over the course of several years.

I'm debating if I should try to wear them because as of now, I can't button the top button. Also, the length is a little too long for my liking and I would probably have them shortened.

[Dr_Heech]

I'm debating if I should try to wear them because as of now, I can't button the top button. Also, the length is a little too long for my liking and I would probably have them shortened.

These shrink big time. This size 30 will shrink up to 2.5 inches on the waist. This is proper shrink to fit. My old 36 waist shrunk down to a 32.5.

Someone on sufu might buy them.

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