1890's Levi's Lot 201 found in Mojave Desert

[JL77]

Now sure if this has already been posted, or if it belongs in this thread or supertrash.

I just read an article about someone finding a pair of 1890's Levi's in decent condition. They are now posted on eBay. I have nothing to do with this auction so hopefully mods don't bust me for posting a link to it. I just thought it was interesting to see a pair of jeans over 100 years old and how they've held up.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1890s-201-Levis-Great-Condition_W0QQitemZ160264665680

The pictures in the auction aren't too clear, nor are they very good sized, but interesting nonetheless.

[midnight]

Wow. Thats amazing how well they've held up. Look at that price though...

[SteveLeviathan]

now that's a cool find, but look at the current price, $8101 OMFG!!!

[Charlie Delta]

Link to article please?

And this auction has indeed been posted in the LVC thread, but if we can get some better pictures or someone to post the pics in here atleast it deserves a thread of it's own imo...

[jimmyc]

now that's a cool find, but look at the current price, $8101 OMFG!!!

I predict the ending sale price to be north of 30K

[Charlie Delta]

Thing is, I for one have never seen or heard of such an early 201, (in no way do I claim to have seen everything btw) this seems to make it rather rare.

I'm curious whether Lynn will be bidding on this.

[heymanwuzup]

as glorious as the denim is, it's quite hard to (for me to ) believe that someone would dish out 8000+ for a pair of denim that he cannot wear or at least store in the closet.

[po_boy_fuuma_hatesbargerz]

as glorious as the denim is, it's quite hard to (for me to ) believe that someone would dish out 8000+ for a pair of denim that he cannot wear or at least store in the closet.

No, it's easily believable. In fact, the Levi Museum (if i'm not mistaken) is notorious for forking out big bucks for historic denim relating to their brand.

[Happy Hooligan]

he sure didn't go to a lot of trouble to list it. 4 pictures? If it was the genuine article seems like he'd go to more effort. It's not like he doesn't know what he has.

I say it's not real...

[selaviso]

as glorious as the denim is, it's quite hard to (for me to ) believe that someone would dish out 8000+ for a pair of denim that he cannot wear or at least store in the closet.

its a piece of history.... its not like you are going to a store and buying a pair of jeans that were made a few months ago or however long it takes for jeans to get from production to sales. you are buying a pair of jeans over 100 years old!

[Busted Seam]

Yeah, the listing is bizarre. But even with those crappy pics you can see great details like the Nudies-style orange stitching (just like on the LVC repros).

Levi's already have a pair of 1890s 201, though, they're in Paul T's book I think, some dude was wearing them when he got run over by a horse and cart or something.

Edit: the Nevada mine jeans, at least 10 years older than these, went for $42k - 1890s jeans seem a lot more common, Levi's at any rate must have half a dozen pairs. I'd go for $18-22k. But, yeah, there is something weird about their laziness in taking such shitty photos - why no details of the rivets, or the interior? - so wouldn't surprise me if they get dodgy bidders or the sale falls thru.

[fattybfat]

he sure didn't go to a lot of trouble to list it. 4 pictures? If it was the genuine article seems like he'd go to more effort. It's not like he doesn't know what he has.

I say it's not real...

i dont know is real or not, but 4 pictures definately is not enough for something worth this much. Unless the seller doesnt expect it to be this high price.

[radical_radish]

Thing is, I for one have never seen or heard of such an early 201, (in no way do I claim to have seen everything btw) this seems to make it rather rare.

I'm curious whether Lynn will be bidding on this.

PaulT refers to early 201s in his 501 visual guide thread:

"... The 201 was the budget version of the 501 - it already existed in the 1890s..."

[Charlie Delta]

I'm well aware of the fact that there are older 201's.

I just had never seen one pocket 201's, that's all...

edit:

Turns out I had, in Paul's book, but I wasn't paying attention yet again...

[Florian.FloC]

That's a pretty crazy find...I'm assuming the winner has the intention of putting them on display somewhere but it's a dirty ( and expensive ) proposition

[cash]

I took some flack for calling these fakes in the LVC thread. SymForDenim brought up a good point about the odd size (no LVC repro was produced in odd sizes). Here are a few things, however, that bother me about these (note, I'm not a pro, just a cynic).

1) Pretty big size for 100 years ago (people were a lot smaller at turn of the century).

2) Great patch condition. Although this was a workingman's jean the patch is clear as day, no rips, no dirt. (Given, I have little experience with linen patches, it just seems too clean to be from a 120-year-old work pant).

3) No visible oxidation. Even in the desert it's hard for a rivet to stay copper-colored for 100 years (given, it was underground in a relatively sterile atmosphere).

4) The dude has 100% positive feedback. e-Bay since '01 and has yet to rub someone the wrong way.

Again, I'm just a cynic. These seem to be in AMAZING condition.

[Paul T]

I'm about as certain as I can be, without seeing them in the flesh, that they're legit.

I saw a slightly earlier pair in the Levi's archives - those are indeed called the Dead Man's Pants, and were from 1893 - they're on page 20 of From Cowboys To Catwalks. That pair had single stitching on the yoke. The patch on those looks different, I think the linen was stained. I also saw a later pair, from the 20s, on which the reissue was based, and again the denim on this looks similar; a greenish cast, with more imperfections and slubs than the contemporary 501. Someone on the auction has asked whether they're LVC; they do look similar, but of course there's no 1890s LVC reissue.

Here are more photos of the eBay pair that the seller sent me; note the basic suspender buttons, and those lovely, early, hand-hammered flat-top rivets.

[cash]

^Damn. I guess I should break out the flashlight and start spending my weekends in old mines.

[Tarmac]

I like how he just threw em on the dirt and took some pics.

[Paul T]

Just got sent some more detail photos.

[robbie]

Those pictures should be in the auction.

With all of those detailed pics , one must think this person did very little research about the jeans before they decided to sell them.

[dandandan]

wow, if they're legit, those look like they're in remarkable condition for something approx 120 years old.

what do you guys think the auction will end at?? 15k-20k? 21 hours and counting...

haha if a bunch of people on here pool 100 bucks each and resell it to some crazy japanese collector for profit

[Tarmac]

hmm I wonder how many mine-found pairs of Levi's have been just tossed in the trash?

[Charlie Delta]

Amazing, thanks for hunting after those pics for us Paul!

And I stand corrected.

[Chicken]

now at $25K+

[midnight]

25 thousand fucking dollars?????????????????????? I wish it would let you check out the top bidders previous purchases and see if he is a real collector or something, but it only shows the first and last letter of their username.

[terrible!]

I like how he just threw em on the dirt and took some pics.

Denim wants to be dirty!

I have a feeling this is Cotton Ducks porn.

[beatle]

Wow...It's like buying a car......

[Chicken]

yup, a loaded honda accord, or vintage levi's 201?

holy shit, it actually turned more into a bmw:

winning bid: US $36,099.00

[livewoodstock]

...sold for $36,099....