Levi's Vintage Clothing

[Paul T]

Jeans mustn't be perfect, but they must have this dirty feeling to be authentic.

Exactly. Just like women.

Jeans like SDA, Denime, Eternal are superb, fine quality and perfect worked. But maybe they're a bit too perfect and too sophisticated. Wearing my LVC's on the other hand gives me a good and comfy feeling, just like: "I'm wearing a jean."

There's a good logic to that. I remember posting pics of my SDA, someone repp'd me saying "well done for trading up from LVC and Lee." What the hell does that mean? Just going for something more expenisve is better?

For me it's the results, not the price tag.

I stress I love loads of Japanese jeans, wish I could have spent more time with my Edo Ais. Lousy sizing. But we know all about that here, don't we??

[ThinFinn]

^ simply wonderful.

what more can i say...awesome paul

[aho]

Paul T, those 55's do it for me every time...always let out a gasp when I see them...

[Maynard Friedman]

Thanks for the input...

Now you mention it, the Kaihara fabric rings a bell. The tag says Sanforized, so would lead me to think you are right...

It's an XL, with a pit to pit measurement of 50 inches, and is too tight on me!!!

If ever there was a reason to lose three/four stone, getting into this item is a big one

Btw the top picture is the best likeness for colour, as my point and shoot digital camera can't cope too well with changing lighting conditions...

50 inches pit to pit! That's a 100 inch chest!

[cheapmuthafukr]

Exactly. Just like women.

damn... wish i hadnt repped you for the jeans, cause this is gold.

[airfrogusmc]

what more can i say...awesome paul

Yep those are awesome. Some of the best I've seen.

[Paul T]

Yep those are awesome. Some of the best I've seen.

THanks. They are just the standard 55, from 2007 or so. I do really like the denim - as I've mentioned before, my last pair of 47s took maybe nine months to get into a groove. THe 55 is a tighter weave and more of a grey black; you get action at a few weeks, they crock fairly quickly, like Sammies, but there's much more variation/gradation in the fade as the months go on. My favourite (and newest) LVC to date.

[airfrogusmc]

THanks. They are just the standard 55, from 2007 or so. I do really like the denim - as I've mentioned before, my last pair of 47s took maybe nine months to get into a groove. THe 55 is a tighter weave and more of a grey black; you get action at a few weeks, they crock fairly quickly, like Sammies, but there's much more variation/gradation in the fade as the months go on. My favourite (and newest) LVC to date.

I think my 55s are from 07 also. I would have to look at the leg tag but I do think they are 07s.

[Bamahater]

Can't find my battery charger for my camera to charge it, but when I do i'll post pics of my Ducks and my 47's I just gave a first wash.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Where is there a '55 cut as good as LVC available in a heavyweight Japanese denim? I am probably looking in the wrong places but I do not find it at all.

Cheers

I dunno if they are as good repro as the LVC one, but there is a Studio d'Artisan '50s cut (*01 model) with 16oz denim. The D1386.

You might like those

[LpotRs]

50 inches pit to pit! That's a 100 inch chest!

:embarrassedsmilie:

Sorry guys!!

It is of course 25" pit to pit, making a 50" chest

[SLAB]

Paul, those 55's look amazing!

[Sansome1877]

There's a photo of the original Nevadas (plus a replica owned by the T family) on this thread...

http://www.superfuture.com/city/supertalk/showthread.php?t=9515&highlight=nevada+jeans

Plus, the replicas were linked earlier in this thread. As the price seems to deomonstrate, these are some of LVC's best-ever repros...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Levis-Nevada-circa-1880-VERY-rare-ltd-edition-LVC_W0QQitemZ260023486222QQihZ016QQcategoryZ91236QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Sorry Cotton Duck, only just seen your later question.

The patch was originally in the middle, as on the Nevada Mine jeans, the earliest known (and the cotton duck). By 1990 it switched to the right hand side, and stayed there. Around 1886, the original patch switched to the 2-horse patch. But, I'm guessing, Levi's aren'ty certain whether the patch changed position before or after it changed design. Hope that makes sense.

Yes, your jeans are syntetic indigo, but I bet you get better wear on them than I did on my natural indigo ones! I'm guessing yours are 555, from 2001 or so.

I saw the last cotton duck, which came out at around the same time as the Nevada replica. Quiality back then looked great, exactly as per the originals. I haven't seen the new ones, which I believe are Europe only, yet, but there's no particular reason why there should be a quality problem. When I see a pair, I'll report in...

Oh, and that '1873' claim is hype, 1873 jeans (if they were produced in quantity, no one knows) would PROBABLY have looked like the Nevada Jeans, which are estijmated to date to 1880 and are the earliest Levi's found so far. I remember being disappointed at the time that the reissues, like yours and the natural indigo version, didn't have all the detailing from the Nevada Mine jeans...

The patch moving to the side in 1886 seems to be correct. Levi continued to make a center patch pant with denim pocket bags through the 1880's and into the 90's. I had a waist band from about 1890, it had LS & Co rivets and denim pocket bags. I have a feeling that this center patched pant might have kept the wording on it's label and not the two hoarse brand. The late center patch LVC pant that says none genuine unless bearing this trademark. The only thing Levi called trademark was the two hoarse brand in the 1880's. Levi didn't register the two hoarse brand until 1906 or 1908, I forgot witch year it was. I have never seen a 1870's Levi with out the center patch or a watch pocket moved off the waist band. I have never seen a 1870's levi with out denim pocket bags. Look at the 1879 levi price list. XX was for xtra heavy denim and xtra sizes, no mention of linen thread being used.

[Paul T]

The patch moving to the side in 1886 seems to be correct. Levi continued to make a center patch pant with denim pocket bags through the 1880's and into the 90's. I had a waist band from about 1890, it had LS & Co rivets and denim pocket bags. I have a feeling that this center patched pant might have kept the wording on it's label and not the two hoarse brand. The late center patch LVC pant that says none genuine unless bearing this trademark. The only thing Levi called trademark was the two hoarse brand in the 1880's. Levi didn't register the two hoarse brand until 1906 or 1908, I forgot witch year it was. I have never seen a 1870's Levi with out the center patch or a watch pocket moved off the waist band. I have never seen a 1870's levi with out denim pocket bags. Look at the 1879 levi price list. XX was for xtra heavy denim and xtra sizes, no mention of linen thread being used.

Very interested by this. Do tell us more.

Much of my previous post was based on old information and is wrong. A few years ago, Lynn D thought that one style predated the other, but my impression now is there were two separate models, one, sometimes called he 'Nevada' with a more workwear cut and centrally-placed patch, and the XX, which AFAIK had the patch on the right, pre 1886, with the old-style (non 2-horse) design.

Do let us know more about the 1870s pants you've seen, and the 1879 pricelist. Are you the MIke i saw posting elsewhere??

[Dr_Heech]

@ Sansome

What Paul said...

Plus there is not enough accurate info (as there are so many holes in the early history due to 1906 fire ..etc) so any real knowledge or insight is welcome here.

Do you have your own personal 'timeline' of model evolution?

Any pics of said waistband?

.

[airfrogusmc]

@ Sansome

What Paul said...

Plus there is not enough accurate info (as there are so many holes in the early history due to 1906 fire ..etc) so any real knowledge or insight is welcome here.

Do you have your own personal 'timeline' of model evolution?

Any pics of said waistband?

.

Repped and what both Paul and Dr H said. ^^^^^^

[Sansome1877]

Very interested by this. Do tell us more.

Much of my previous post was based on old information and is wrong. A few years ago, Lynn D thought that one style predated the other, but my impression now is there were two separate models, one, sometimes called he 'Nevada' with a more workwear cut and centrally-placed patch, and the XX, which AFAIK had the patch on the right, pre 1886, with the old-style (non 2-horse) design.

Do let us know more about the 1870s pants you've seen, and the 1879 pricelist. Are you the MIke i saw posting elsewhere??

I sent some pictures of a pair of number 2 Levi's from 1886 to 1890, I sent them to you yesterday. You can post these pictures if you like. It looks like Levi made double XX, number 2's and this mystery center patch pant ,that know one can put a name on. These three models were all being made in the late 1880's. I will type out the price list from 1879.

PANTS AND VESTS

per Doz

Riveted Brown,Mode and Dead Grass,

best 10 oz Duck pants... $16.50

Brown,Mode and Dead Grass,

best 10 oz. Duck Pants

EXTRA SIZES.................... $20.00

Amoskeag blue denim pants.. $15.50

XX Extra heavy blue denim

pants...................................... $17.50

XX Extra heavy blue denim

pants, EXTRA SIZES..................... $21.00

A copy of this price list is in the Kids book, Levi Strauss by Stephanie Sammartino Mcpherson. The list is printed so small, you can't read it. We got a copy from the Jewish history museum in San Francisco. Price lists and catalogs from the 1880's and 90's must not be around. Mode by the way is a Drab Grey. Another thing of interest, on page 22 in From Cowboys to Catwalks, the 1908 price list says XX for 30 years the standard. I think this would put XX starting in 1878 not 1873. Another thing of interest, a government study on Chinese working in the clothing industry, November

1876, Levi had 180 Chinese sewing pants. We are trying to get this study

[Sansome1877]

Sorry My name is Mike

[Paul T]

Hi Mike, good to hear from you, those pics sound v exciting, but I haven't received an email. Do check your PMs, Ta!

[Sansome1877]

I sent the pictures to your iggybook address. I have to take off for a few hours. Good to hear from you.

[Sansome1877]

@ Sansome

What Paul said...

Plus there is not enough accurate info (as there are so many holes in the early history due to 1906 fire ..etc) so any real knowledge or insight is welcome here.

Do you have your own personal 'timeline' of model evolution?

Any pics of said waistband?

.

I have a time line from 1873 to about 1878 or 79. No arcuate stitch or riveted cinch straps, for around the first 3 years. I am glad to see that other people are interested in this subject as much as I am. Trying to be historically correct is a good thing.

[Paul T]

Mmmm, very interest to hear about the arcuate stitch. I've heard suggestions that this design might have turned up on other manufacturers before Levi's; obviously, plenty of people used it in the late 1800s.

Can't wait for a proper chat with Mike, and to hear more, in the meantime here are the 201 photos he sent me. THese are very interesting, having an early-style single-stitched yoke, together with the later, 2-horse linen patch, but with an early form of the wording - these say *Patent Riveted" in the top banner.

I am guessing are from a similar period to Levi's "dead man's pants" which date to 1893 (or at least, their owner met with a fatal accident on that date). I am staring to wonder whether the 200 series, which of course were cheaper, must have sold a lot more than the 500 series, as so many more seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately. Do tell us more, though, Mike!

[Paul T]

MIke, I forgot to mention, but a friend of mine has found a painting with a verified date, of a cowboy wearing denim. NO rivets visibile, but it comes from the 1850s, definitely pre 1860s. Who knows, but it might suggest that Levi's-style denim pants were very common in the decades before Jacon Davis decided to add rivets.

He's very cagey about revealing more, but I have kept meaning to visit him and verify the date. I have a deadline next week, but after that, I think I shall visit him.

Again, great to see your contributions on here.

[airfrogusmc]

Outstanding.

[Goominim]

I bought my first '47 LVC tagged 34 by 34 thinking that the actual waist was going to be 33 inches. I measured the waist to slightly more than 34 inches. I doubt I can shrink the waist a whole 2 inches. Anyone want them for under $200 plus shipping? I'm going to see if I can exchange them first.

[aho]

Very interesting developments with the early Levi's history...Would love to hear more thoughts on the topic although I don't have anything to offer, sadly!

[cheapmuthafukr]

amazing how the denim stood up... beautiful shade of blue under all that dirt

[sayocean]

heres the fit on my 47 501s size 29 (TTS)

what do you guys think? thanks in advance

[Goominim]

sayocean,

Great fit. I wish I got true-to-size.

[jstavrin]

Keep them out of hot water. They shrink a hell of a lot.