LVC 501s

[airfrogusmc]

Hi I just picked up a pair of Levis from a local thrift store ,I usually do not bother looking at the jeans because twenty years ago I used to scour all the thrift stores for selvedge jeans and never found any .I go in the thrift stores now looking for leather for making patches .To cut a long story short I was walking to the counter and a leg of a pair of jeans on a rack was sticking out with the hem turned up and I could see they were selvedge .I looked at the pockets and they were Levis so I paid the $5.99 and left the store .He is my question /they have no labels on the back of the jean or inside and on one of the pockets there stamped 622-99 .The levi tag on the rear pocket is there with the big E and no copyright symbol ,the oposite side of the tag is blank (it is one piece folded and sewn under pocket ) .The back pockets have rivets under the material .All the the copper rivets are stamped L.S& CO.-SF.-,the rear of the buttons are have no numbers only have checkered mark from the rivetting operation .The fly is button and the four rivet backs that secure the pockets are a different design and stamping LS&CO.-SF- and over stamped on this rivet center is the #15 and is quite large .Double needle arctuate ,has belt loops and bottoms are 8 1/2".What are these ! and what year are they from .I will post pictures if asked ,condition looks like they were washed maybe twice and length is uncut .Appreciate any help .Thank Jeff

Jeff big E and no copyright on the little red back pocket tag you could have something.

 

[Doug C]

Double needle arctuate ,has belt loops and bottoms are 8 1/2".

Dubow, are you saying that there are buttons on the waste band and what exactly is 8 1/2" ? But... there was no cinch right? I think pictures would be in order. Are the rivet backs rusty in the least or do they look fairly new and shiney? Do the sewn arches look uniform and neat or do they appear rather animated also is there a diamond stitch at the points of the arches? Very interesting find either way.. I mean even if they were some kind of fake it'd still be worth the $5.99, on the otherhand they could be an original pair

ps- I love hearing these stories.. there was a guy that went into a thrift store the other day and founds a pair of Alden 405s in his size for $15.

Doug C

 

[Anonymous]

Hi here are some pictures ,if you need more just ask thanks for all your help guys /

I can not see any remnants of a ticket in side the jeans that may have been there and cut off ,main rear tag show some stiching in place .No rivet on fly bottom all button backs have the same diamond press mark left on them no numbers except on rear rivets and they have a number 15.Thanks Jeff

 

[Anonymous]

Double needle arctuate ,has belt loops and bottoms are 8 1/2".

Dubow, are you saying that there are buttons on the waste band and what exactly is 8 1/2" ? But... there was no cinch right? I think pictures would be in order. Are the rivet backs rusty in the least or do they look fairly new and shiney? Do the sewn arches look uniform and neat or do they appear rather animated also is there a diamond stitch at the points of the arches? Very interesting find either way.. I mean even if they were some kind of fake it'd still be worth the $5.99, on the otherhand they could be an original pair

ps- I love hearing these stories.. there was a guy that went into a thrift store the other day and founds a pair of Alden 405s in his size for $15.

Doug C

I have posted pictures if you need any more just let me know ,re the 8 1/2" thats the bottom of the leg width ,and every thing looks new and shiney as you will see in the pictures .Best regards Jeff

 

[joeson]

They look to be the same as the '47 pattern 501xx that I found a year,or so,ago.The back of the top button should be steel,although I think your camera flash is making it look copper.The waist label should have been leather but,this was often removed as it shrunk in hot water washing.
Nice find,are they a good size?

 

[airfrogusmc]

I'd post'm over at SuFu and ask the Levis guru Paul T but my guess is they're late 50s early 60s. The leather tags didn't come near as easy as the leather like ones.

 

[joeson]

I'd post'm over at SuFu and ask the Levis guru Paul T but my guess is they're late 50s early 60s. The leather tags didn't come near as easy as the leather like ones.

Centre back belt loop would have been offset after '51.This would date them to '47-'51.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I'd post'm over at SuFu and ask the Levis guru Paul T but my guess is they're late 50s early 60s. The leather tags didn't come near as easy as the leather like ones.

Centre back belt loop would have been offset after '51.This would date them to '47-'51.

According to Paul T the guy that wrote Cowboys to Catwalks (he's had access to Levis records) it was a specific factory that produced the offset belt loop. He said he has seen originals with centered belt loops on even 1955 501s. He posted that a couple of years ago in a thread over at SuFu.

 

[Miles_Archer]

Late 40's, no doubt. Beautiful shape. Worth a fortune if they're in a larger size. You scored big time.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Late 40's, no doubt. Beautiful shape. Worth a fortune if they're in a larger size. You scored big time.

Why do you say NO DOUBT (curious). They're not very well worn and missing a leather tag that would surely have survived (unless it was cut off :? ).

 

[stanier]

I wouldn't profess to be an expert, and I think Airfrog is right, get 'em in front of Paul T. Would the single sided red tab make 'em pre '55?

I know on my first pair of LVC's (factory 554 '47's) the leather tag washed and dried off in no time. I'm much more careful now!!

 

[airfrogusmc]

I wouldn't profess to be an expert, and I think Airfrog is right, get 'em in front of Paul T. Would the single sided red tab make 'em pre '55?

I know on my first pair of LVC's (factory 554 '47's) the leather tag washed and dried off in no time. I'm much more careful now!!

I've only seen a couple pair of original mid 1950s 501s and both had off center belt loops and both if I remember right had one sided red pocket emblems and leather like tags.

I'd get'm where Paul could see'm. You could also e-mail Lynn Downey at Levis.

 

[Miles_Archer]

Late 40's, no doubt. Beautiful shape. Worth a fortune if they're in a larger size. You scored big time.

Why do you say NO DOUBT (curious). They're not very well worn and missing a leather tag that would surely have survived (unless it was cut off :? ).

I stand by what I said.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Late 40's, no doubt. Beautiful shape. Worth a fortune if they're in a larger size. You scored big time.

Why do you say NO DOUBT (curious). They're not very well worn and missing a leather tag that would surely have survived (unless it was cut off :? ).

I stand by what I said.

Yeah but maybe you could teach and share with some of us that might not see what you are seeing..

 

[Anonymous]

Hi guys thanks for your input ,much appreciated .The waist size on the jeans is 36" and the inseam is 32 1/4" .I looked at in ebay auctions and there are two pair similar to mine and the guy has listed it as 1940- 50s just like you guys said .They also has same tag as mine no copyright and one sided .



http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-VINTAGE-40 ... 240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Levis-501- ... 240%3A1318


All the best and thanks again Jeff

 

[joeson]

Like I said in previous posts,the leather tag tended to shrink in a hot wash,so it was usually taken off afterwards.That is why the tag was changed.Indigo dyed denim is super dark and was shrink to fit,hence the colour retention and the hot washing.The colour is only about 75% of original..Modern repro do not have the same stud on the back of the top button as the originals.Of centre belt loop is definitely pre '52
Lastly,they just look right.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Hi guys thanks for your input ,much appreciated .The waist size on the jeans is 36" and the inseam is 32 1/4" .I looked at in ebay auctions and there are two pair similar to mine and the guy has listed it as 1940- 50s just like you guys said .They also has same tag as mine no copyright and one sided .



http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-VINTAGE-40 ... 240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-Levis-501- ... 240%3A1318


All the best and thanks again Jeff

There ya go...Great buy. The general shape and hardware was constant from the late 40s through most of the 50s with the exception of the change from leather to leather like on the tag. There are plenty of examples of pretty well worn originals with the leather label still on. And again Paul said that the of center belt loop was from one particular factory and not consistent with all 50s originals. This according to his own verification and Levis records.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Paul T posted this at SuFu thought it was interesting.
Has some great photos and answers some questions about looms used to make denim. Also address the issue of old looms and the rumor that some went to Japan.
http://www.trynka.net/Site/Cone.html

 

[Doug C]

Dubow you lucky dog!! That's great - what are your plans for them (wear 'em, sell 'em, display 'em) ?

Doug C

 

[Anonymous]

Dubow you lucky dog!! That's great - what are your plans for them (wear 'em, sell 'em, display 'em) ?

Doug C

Hi Doug I am going to sell them , they do not fit me and I would sooner have another A-2 jacket from JC .Thanks for all the kind emails >Rgds Jeff