vintage black jeans?

[oatmealmary]

Looking in reprints of old catalogs it seems black denim was always an option offered by workwear companys.

However Ive never seen any original black denims anyone ever seen or have any more info.What were Lee Friskos? any relation to what Ben Davis makes now?

[Paul T]

Lee Friskos were their version of Can't Bust Em's Frisko Jeens. Lee were producing them as early as 1939. Can't Bust Em produced Frisko Jeens from the 20s. Lee bought the Can't Bust Em brand in, I think, 46, they were probably distributing Can't Bust Em product under their own name as part of an earlier business agreement. They bought Can't Bust Em because they were strong on the West Coast, like Levi's, with a couple of factories there. <p>

Can't Bust Em were probably making denim pants (without rivets) well before Levi's were. Their Frisko Jeens were always black, probably piece-dyed, and I think probably appeared first in a baggier, more dungaree-style fit, with bigger pockets, and later with a more Levi's style cut, but a different frotn pocket styling. Can't Bust Em made beautiful hickory stripe workwear too, which looked a bit like OshKosh kid's dungarees.

[hockeygirl]

I'm looking for information on Eloesser-Heynemann, the company that originally made Can't Bust Em and Frisko jeens. Anyone have any idea where to look? Also, does anyone know if the Boss of the Road line was made by the same company before Lee took it over?

[studiofloam]

Eloesser-Heynemann held the Boss of the Road label for a short while before selling to Lee. I believe they bought them sometime in the early 1930's. The origional company was Neustadter Brothers out of San Francisco who also produced the Standard Shirt. Boss of the Road was a very popular label at work camps. Buttons that feature their mascot a bulldog are found about as often as Levi items.

[oatmealmary]

Hey great someone replied to this,very usefull info as usual.I think what im really asking is are their any surviving vintage black jeans,plenty of examples of good old indigo,wheres the black denim?