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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 1, 2015 15:27:12 GMT -6
So I went to the thrift store with the intent of looking for a couple of old western snap shirts and a Levis trucker jacket. I scored just that: a couple of old late 60s/early 70s Levis western snap shirts and two old Levis trucker jackets (pics of them later). But I also walked away with a pair of Levis 501s. It's these 501s that have me most curious. These guys are marked 501xx, are dusty and smelly (haha), "faded, whiskered and honeycombed," have the arcuate stitching coming undone, other bits of stitching coming "undone", have a "Big E" on the red tab, Levis is only on one side of the red tab, are selvedge red lines, have no care label whatsoever or any remnants of one like you see when someone tries to cut it out, have a relatively thick and "aged" actual leather patch marked 501xx, have lock stitches on the tops of the back pockets rather than chain stitching, have a number "7" FAINTLY stamped on the backs of the buttons, have hidden back pocket rivets, and have copper-backed pocket bag rivets with RAISED not sunken lettering. However, what's throwing me off is that these do not have doughnut buttons as are seen in WWII-era 501s. Are there any vintage Levis experts out there in TV land that can help me identify these things. Are they very convincing fake/bootleg repros or the real deal? They definitely aren't LVC because of the missing care tags and any sign that they ever existed. See the pics... Pics (Click for large versions):Faded & Honeycombed  Faded & Whiskered  More "Fading"  More Fading & Arcuates Coming Undone  More Stitching Coming "Undone"  Leather Patch  "Big E" Red Tab  "Big E" Only on One Side  Lock Stitching on Top pf Pockets  Selvedge "Red Lines"  Dye Transfer on Cuffs & Cuff Wear  Hidden Rivets  Button Backs Stamped with "7"  Back of Pocket Bag Rivets are Copper with RAISED LETTERS!  But Those Buttons, Though   Sooo, experts...what do I have here?? |
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 1, 2015 19:10:56 GMT -6
Yeah, I know Levi's aren't the most glamorous, but damn I love some old vintage Levi's.
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 2, 2015 11:31:04 GMT -6
Just measured these things and they are right at 35" waist and a 33.5" inseam. They fit like a glove. From what I can tell online, and I've read a lot, they are true 1947-late 1953 era Levi's. Pretty exciting find.
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Post by ickes on Aug 2, 2015 11:34:28 GMT -6
They are an unsanforized pair for sure.
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Post by ickes on Aug 2, 2015 11:52:27 GMT -6
If the pair you found is authentic then you scored a nice find. I cut my teeth in the unsanforized world on Levis 501 STFs about 8 years ago. I loved them...they were all I knew before I found the entry level selvedge brands (unbranded, Gustin, etc...) and I own(ed) about 10 pairs of them.
To this day I still like the 501 fit although sometimes the back rise can be a bit too high. I'm no expert by any means but I can tell you that every pair of STFs I've owned have had the XX on the patch indicating that they are unsanforized.
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 2, 2015 13:09:02 GMT -6
If the pair you found is authentic then you scored a nice find. I cut my teeth in the unsanforized world on Levis 501 STFs about 8 years ago. I loved them...they were all I knew before I found the entry level selvedge brands (unbranded, Gustin, etc...) and I own(ed) about 10 pairs of them. To this day I still like the 501 fit although sometimes the back rise can be a bit too high. I'm no expert by any means but I can tell you that every pair of STFs I've owned have had the XX on the patch indicating that they are unsanforized. Oh yeah, they still have that branding. That's what XX means nowadays. I'm not sure it's always meant that, but XX has been on there in some fashion or another since 1890. Before they were called 501 they were called XX, and then XX Lot. 501 and thereafter 501xx.   |
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 2, 2015 16:42:32 GMT -6
Look what this guy is asking for the same pair as mine. That's lunacy. He'll be lucky to get a fifth of this haha: goo.gl/0DFWXsEDIT: a third was perhaps even too optimistic. |
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Post by seth on Aug 2, 2015 16:58:27 GMT -6
Offer to sell him yours for $1500.
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 2, 2015 17:11:49 GMT -6
Offer to sell him yours for $1500. Hahaha. |
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Post by unnamed on Aug 3, 2015 23:00:51 GMT -6
Pretty sure those are a pre-distressed Levis replica of the original 40's jeans. Somehow the fades look too "perfect" to be the originals. If they are from the 40's though they are worth a large fortune in that kind of condition.
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Post by Griffin on Aug 4, 2015 0:56:33 GMT -6
The whiskers are fake for sure, or someone could have tried to improve what whas already there. Thats no proof either way but they are not all natural.
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Post by Griffin on Aug 4, 2015 10:42:41 GMT -6
Looking more at them I see more fake-distressing. For instance see the knee-fades they are almost the same on both sides, and what comes to the other side around the knee that is seen beside the combs on the right in the pic you see clearly its fake.
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 4, 2015 13:23:35 GMT -6
I think you two are right. Just too perfect. Yet, they were found with a 100% true real deal 50s Type III, a true real deal 60s Type III, and true 60s western snap shirts, all of them dirty, dusty and smelly. But yeah, I am of the same mind.
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Post by unnamed on Aug 4, 2015 13:37:09 GMT -6
Still worth a few hundred though!  |
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Post by whiskeyriver on Aug 4, 2015 13:42:11 GMT -6
Still worth a few hundred though! What got me was the button stamps. Vintage are often single digit stamps, repros always three digits, fakes nearly always with "501" or nothing stamped on them. That single digit 7 got me. |
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Post by brentkuz on Aug 4, 2015 18:33:07 GMT -6
I think you two are right. Just too perfect. Yet, they were found with a 100% true real deal 50s Type III, a true real deal 60s Type III, and true 60s western snap shirts, all of them dirty, dusty and smelly. But yeah, I am of the same mind. You better have bought everything there. Not a levis expert by any means but it's worth the gamble. I had a pair of 70/80's NWTs 505XX and they sold for $100 couldn't imagine what WW2 stuff would go for. On my phone they look sturdy and like a good pair of jeans but they def look man faded. Like pre-distressed from the factory. |
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