Need Levi's Expertise

[nastyandy]

I need a Levi's expert to help me ID these jeans.

Consensus on styleforum is that the tags and features are definately modern, but I'd like to know if anyone has any clue if these are LVCs, repros, fake, or what??. . .

They were sold to me as original late 60's vintage. . .but I think they are too good to be true. They are in almost immaculate shape, still lots of indigo, and the denim is nice, reminds me of my Corpus denim but slightly softer and thinner.

I know too little about Levi's to tell, the only thing i can compare them to is an old vintage Big E jacket that I have, but the jacket is much more worn in, softer, and much more naturally aged.

Some things that bother me about these. . .they actually say 501 on the reverse of the top button (I thought there should only be one digit, unless they are LVC which are 555??) The red line in the selvedge is very apparent, while most models I see on ebay are only white or very faint red (unless these are just not worn in enough?) And the inside rivets say LS & Co., etc., but the lettering is raised, while I think authentic rivets had the lettering pressed in??

Here are some pics. . .

Sorry if I'm killing the bandwidth here, but any help is certainly appreciated, thanks in advance.

[nastyandy]

here are a few mopre pics

coin pocket inside:

[mopar_jj]

look like fakes made in thailand - If you bought them from Ebay from ID vintagejeansdealer or vintagelevidealer( I cant remember exactly) then I would bet on it. There is neg feedback on his account.

[nastyandy]

look like fakes made in thailand - If you bought them from Ebay from ID vintagejeansdealer or vintagelevidealer( I cant remember exactly) then I would bet on it. There is neg feedback on his account.

Hmm. . .I got them for $60 from a guy who had just started selling vintage clothing, and had 100% fb (but only from sellers.) Maybe he bought them and flipped them to me.

I knew the price was ridiculously low, but I thought maybe they were LVCs or something.

[mopar_jj]

$60 is not too bad on Ebay. If you search thai fakes on this forum you will get the real story on these, quite entertaining.!

[airfrogusmc]

I think they're fakes to. Heres another fake, 201s check the 501 stamped button.

http://cgi.ebay.com/BIG-E-LEVIS-201-XX-DENIM-JEANS-BUCKLE-BACK-SIZE-34_W0QQitemZ140038537652QQihZ004QQcategoryZ52391QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[nastyandy]

I may not be an expert on denim, but I have to admit, IMO, the quality is not too bad for fakes. I was debating opening a dispute for a refund, but maybe I'll keep them.

[poly800rock]

now that i see that back tag cut i'm thinking they're fakes as well, i just saw my thai fakes and they do have 501 stamped on the button as well...

[airfrogusmc]

I think they look pretty cool why false advertise them?

[rnrswitch]

The denim also seems to have a lot of vertical fading. Most 50s/60s vintage levis don't have that much... from what I have seen anyways. The older jeans like the 20s/30s lighter weight denim tend to be slubbier. The jeans look pretty good though.

[airfrogusmc]

switch you're right. Original 40s'50s Levis didn't have that kind of striping.

[Serge d Nimes]

Those are definately fakes, really bad ones. All vintage Levis have a black stitched top button hole, 0657 denim does not exist, no Levis have a 501 top button, font on the bat wing is wrong, The waist patch is wrong, double stitched top seam and V stitch never go together, and they were finished in industrial laundry.

[haptronic]

every single pair of fake big E i saw in bangkok had a 501 stamp on the button...