LVC 501s

[airfrogusmc]

I hope Cone and Levi's do have their act together- so far I haven't seen it. It really doesn't matter to me if the denim is made in the same factory or not. What matters is the attention to detail in how the cotton is dyed and on what looms. Most current LVC stuff I've seen is crappy denim that looks almost the same as the shrink to fit stuff. Some of the old 555 made LVC are far superior to the stuff that's currently being made.

For some reason the Japanese LVC have a much higher standard than the stuff sold to the west. Maybe it's because the Japanese are fanatics when it comes to denim and the history and know better and Levi's knows they won't settle for something less.

Just came back from Chuck's Vintage on Melrose. Holy sh*t do they have some kick ass original denim.

Grant,
Have you seen any of the new stuff? I wish you could see the 209s and the 333s. This denim was made in limited runs and limited #s were produced. Have you tried to find a pair of those 1905 209 coveralls? Very hard to find....
Japan had some 1920s 209s late last year. A few of those Japanese companies are using cone mills denim according to cone anyway. Well anyway LVC and cone are producing the 1915 collaboration in F/W and well see how good those are.

The first run of the 1901s from a few years back the ones with no line selvage actually were made from Japanese denim.

 

[Happy Hooligan]

Speaking of Cone Mills, I stopped by Stronghold in LA today and saw some beautiful samples of a new super dark indigo selvage denim they just got in from Cone. Also saw a prototype of a pair of Strongholds that were more faithful to the original Stronghold work wear from the 30's. All in all very promising.

wish I knew you were heading over there... I would have stopped by and said hello...

 

[Grant]

I'm around through next weekend so if you want to meet up that'd be cool.
I'd like to check out your Wesco's in person.

 

[Doug C]

If anyone's interested in switching out the buckles on their cinch-backs, here are a few choices for doing so.. I'll be getting something to replace the useless buckle on my 1920 201s.
http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/bu ... ckles.html
http://www.fcsutler.com/fcbuckles.asp
http://www.tstitches.com/MensDept/ButtonsBucklespg4.htm
http://www.abrahamslady.com/items/VestBuckle2Lg.jpg

I like the one at the second link (fcsutler) because it looks coppery, but unfortunately it says brass so that's probably just the picture. Though the black buckle at abrahamslady might look good with the black buttons on the 201s. Anyway they're all cheaply priced.

Doug C

 

[airfrogusmc]

I have a couple turn of the 20th century original buckles that I've replaced some of mine with.

 

[airfrogusmc]

If anyone's interested in switching out the buckles on their cinch-backs, here are a few choices for doing so.. I'll be getting something to replace the useless buckle on my 1920 201s.
http://www.riverjunction.com/catalog/bu ... ckles.html
http://www.fcsutler.com/fcbuckles.asp
http://www.tstitches.com/MensDept/ButtonsBucklespg4.htm
http://www.abrahamslady.com/items/VestBuckle2Lg.jpg

I like the one at the second link (fcsutler) because it looks coppery, but unfortunately it says brass so that's probably just the picture. Though the black buckle at abrahamslady might look good with the black buttons on the 201s. Anyway they're all cheaply priced.

Doug C

Doug thanks for the links. I think I'm going to pick a few up...

 

[deeb7]

Hi guys I have listed the Levis on ebay if you want to follow the action here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0327206457

$658.00 with two days to go ... there's going to be a profit here.

Final price, $1,349.00.

Brilliant .... drinks all round.

 

[Doug C]

...man oh man, I just explained the whole selvage thing to my mom who frequents a few thift stores and told her about that auction.

Doug C

 

[airfrogusmc]

Hi guys I have listed the Levis on ebay if you want to follow the action here is the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0327206457

$658.00 with two days to go ... there's going to be a profit here.

Final price, $1,349.00.

Brilliant .... drinks all round.

OUTSTANDING!!!

 

[Cobblers161]

Ok gents I have a question for you regarding selvedge on LVC's.

Over the past year I have bought 2008 LVC 55's, 33's and a pair of 37's. The main difference with earlier models is the selvedge. All 3 models btw are 36"w x 38" leg.

Firstly it's 1/2" selvedge for all 3 pairs. In the past the two 55's I've owned from 1998 and 2006 have had 1" (This I'm sure is just an issue for the 55's as I think the 33's and 37's have 1/2" as standard)

Secondly the red stitching on the selvedge is closer, as in dead on/right next to, the central blue strip, in the past there a been a couple of mm gap. Also after a cold soak on the 55's and 33's the red stitching bled.

The buttons on the 33's have 4170 stamped on the rear and the 55's button has 133M stamped.

According to the tags all 3 are USA made.

Is all the above in fitting with the changes to the 2008 line? I ask this as the bleeding stitching has me thinking along the lines of a quality issue.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[stanier]

Hi Steve,

From what I've read, but not what I know, the narrower overall selvage is the the most authentic.

However, again from what I've read, the white part (certainly on the 30's models) should be much broader than it is on current western LVC's.

If you go to the Levis Japan website and look at the online store you'll see 30's LVC's with narrow overall selvage and a much broader white part.

I know what you mean about the red stitch being right next to the blue; I personally have only seen this on 1927's, 1933's, and 1937's. Not sure how authentic the style is and know previous LVC years don't always have it. Maybe Paul T on SuFu can shed some light??

I've had a pair of 47's where the red ran, but over time the run went. However with the elongated wash periods it may take some time. Personally, I only had the problem on one pair so maybe it is a quality issue.

Cheers all

 

[Cobblers161]

I was thinking that due to the bleeding, which after 14 pairs of LVC's over the years I've never experienced before, there must be a drop in quality, but as Airfrog says the denim is nice maybe this is just a small snag. The closeness of the red stitching to the central strip really bugs me(on an ocd level :? ) and it's not something to be found on the latest Japanese LVC's.

I guessed the selvedge was right for the 33's and 37's I was just suprised on the 55's.

I remember the 555 47's had the 1" selvedge then when Valencia St packed in and production moved elsewhere the selvedge went down to 1/2"

 

[Burnsie]

The closeness of the red stitching to the central strip really bugs me(on an ocd level :? ) and it's not something to be found on the latest Japanese LVC's.

This is completely authentic - the only pair of deadstock 20's 501's I've ever seen were lighter weight denim with the redline RIGHT against the blue. I was looking for, and was pleased to find this feature on my 33's (which I knew to be lighter weight).
Re: the wider selvage, this is to be seen in 50's pics - again something I thought was attn' to detail when replicated on the 1996 '55 repros.

 

[Cobblers161]

Thanks for the stitching info Burnsie I can rest easy now.

I'd be interested to know why the '08 55's have the thinner 1/2" selvedge, as you say, and to my mind also, they are known for the wider 1".

 

[Grant]

If Miles, the resident expert on denim would weigh in you'd have a definitive answer. He's seen more original denim than almost anyone I know.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I was thinking that due to the bleeding, which after 14 pairs of LVC's over the years I've never experienced before, there must be a drop in quality, but as Airfrog says the denim is nice maybe this is just a small snag. The closeness of the red stitching to the central strip really bugs me(on an ocd level :? ) and it's not something to be found on the latest Japanese LVC's.

I guessed the selvedge was right for the 33's and 37's I was just suprised on the 55's.

I remember the 555 47's had the 1" selvedge then when Valencia St packed in and production moved elsewhere the selvedge went down to 1/2"

The cone denim that LVC used in 08 and now in 09 is according to Paul Trynka who has been to Levis, read their archives, interviewed experts like Lynn Downey, seen and handled the jeans and samples of denim in their collection and also to cone mills and done the same says the denim from 08 and now 09 is really close to the weight, texture, color to the originals that LVC are reproducing. Some of the 555 LVCs were early and not that accurate. The 37 201 555 was a fictional jean really a 501 but the 20s 201s are very good as were the ones from last year. All of the denim from repros ealrier than the 1915 (which will be out in the fall) are made with Japanese denim.

 

[Doug C]

Apparently and as I understand it everything before the 1927 model (or does it include 1927 too..) will be japanese denim [kurabo].... so the 1917s too. I think I'll try to get the 1917s next as they'll get me past the japanese denim itch but mostly because of their unique arcuates and pockets which are oddly shaped and mismatched, in a cool way. Airfrog, I've noticed you mention the 1915s a couple of times but I can't find any info on it, there's nothing specific in the repeattofade blog about it - only that an award was granted in that year....where are you seeing this model? I want to know what the difference between it and the 1917 will be. thanks.

Doug C

 

[airfrogusmc]

Apparently and as I understand it everything before the 1927 model (or does it include 1927 too..) will be japanese denim [kurabo].... so the 1917s too. I think I'll try to get the 1917s next as they'll get me past the japanese denim itch but mostly because of their unique arcuates and pockets which are oddly shaped and mismatched, in a cool way. Airfrog, I've noticed you mention the 1915s a couple of times but I can't find any info on it, there's nothing specific in the repeattofade blog about it - only that an award was granted in that year....where are you seeing this model? I want to know what the difference between it and the 1917 will be. thanks.

Doug C

They're in the european F/W catalog. I've got a pair on order from dejan. They're called the 1915 cone collaboration. Its the first year that cone supplied Levis.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Apparently and as I understand it everything before the 1927 model (or does it include 1927 too..) will be japanese denim [kurabo].... so the 1917s too. I think I'll try to get the 1917s next as they'll get me past the japanese denim itch but mostly because of their unique arcuates and pockets which are oddly shaped and mismatched, in a cool way. Airfrog, I've noticed you mention the 1915s a couple of times but I can't find any info on it, there's nothing specific in the repeattofade blog about it - only that an award was granted in that year....where are you seeing this model? I want to know what the difference between it and the 1917 will be. thanks.

Doug C

Doug I believe the US made 1917s use cone...

27s are cone and are real sweet.

 

[Cobblers161]

I was thinking that due to the bleeding, which after 14 pairs of LVC's over the years I've never experienced before, there must be a drop in quality, but as Airfrog says the denim is nice maybe this is just a small snag. The closeness of the red stitching to the central strip really bugs me(on an ocd level :? ) and it's not something to be found on the latest Japanese LVC's.

I guessed the selvedge was right for the 33's and 37's I was just suprised on the 55's.

I remember the 555 47's had the 1" selvedge then when Valencia St packed in and production moved elsewhere the selvedge went down to 1/2"

The cone denim that LVC used in 08 and now in 09 is according to Paul Trynka who has been to Levis, read their archives, interviewed experts like Lynn Downey, seen and handled the jeans and samples of denim in their collection and also to cone mills and done the same says the denim from 08 and now 09 is really close to the weight, texture, color to the originals that LVC are reproducing. Some of the 555 LVCs were early and not that accurate. The 37 201 555 was a fictional jean really a 501 but the 20s 201s are very good as were the ones from last year. All of the denim from repros ealrier than the 1915 (which will be out in the fall) are made with Japanese denim.

Cheers.

I refuse however to have a downer on the 37 201's, I can live with a peice of fiction if it excudes that much cool. Although I have to say my 33's are getting better on a weekly basis.