The oldest pair of Levi Strauss blue jeans known to exist are from the 1890s and in pristine condition. They are believed to have never been worn. The Levis are expected to go for $80,000, according to auctioneer Daniel Soules. The jeans also come with a Levi’s guarantee referencing a dark chapter in American history.
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What were the original Levi jeans?
Levi’s logo 1967
Producer: Levi Strauss & Co. Features: The pants – called “waist overalls” – had one back pocket with the Arcuate stitching design, a watch pocket, a cinch, suspender buttons and a rivet in the crotch. The pants were made of 9 oz.
When did Levis make their first pair of jeans?
1873
The next time you see someone wearing a pair of Levi’s® jeans, remember that these pants are a direct descendant of that first pair made back in 1873. That year, two visionary immigrants — Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis — turned denim, thread and a little metal into what has become the most popular apparel on earth.
How much was the first pair of Levi’s?
The pair dates from 1886 to 1902, when the jeans cost about $1.25, Downey said. The person who found the jeans sold them for $10,000. Another investor paid $15,000, and the owners of What Comes Around Goes Around, a vintage apparel store in Manhattan, paid $20,000.
What is considered vintage Levis?
Old School tags: Authentic vintage Levi’s jeans are those manufactured before 1970. You can easily verify the true vintage of the jeans with this easy trick: find the red tab and check for a capital “E” in LEVi’s. Styles from the 80s and 90s are great too, so don’t limit yourself to the big “E”.
Are old Levi jeans worth anything?
Customers can expect to receive between $15 and $35 for their used denim. Even if your denim is too worn to be resold, Levi’s will still buy it for $5.
What are the oldest Levi jeans?
What are the rarest and oldest Levi’s items in the archive? We keep the oldest pair of blue jeans in the world in a fireproof safe in our archive. They date to about 1879. We call them XX, a reference to the top-of-the-line denim we used.
What is the oldest pair of Levi’s?
Dedicated to restoring abandoned ghost towns, Brent Underwood recently discovered a 100-year-old pair of Levi’s jeans—among the oldest jeans to-date—in an abandoned mine in Cerro Gordo, Calif.
What is the oldest pair of blue jeans?
You’ve probably heard that jeans age well. This pair is testament to that belief—dating back to about 1879, they’re the earliest-known blue jeans, though they don’t look too far off from the kind worn today.
What does Levi’s stand for?
It means “united,” “joined,” or, sometimes, “joined in harmony.” It has Biblical roots: in the Old Testament, Levi is the son of Jacob and Leah. The Levites are also one of the 12 tribes of the Israelites. In this way, Levi is a name signifying the unification or founding of something.
Why are Levi’s called 501?
It started off with a registered trademark of the “Two Horse Pull” icon which was Levi’s® symbol of quality. In 1890, the XX would be renamed to 501®, a nod to the manufacturing batch number the denim jeans were assigned.
Which jean company is oldest?
Levi Strauss & Co
Levi Strauss & Co: Levi Strauss & Co is the oldest denim manufacturer in the world, founded in 1853 in San Francisco, California, USA.
What is the small pocket on Levi’s for?
pocket watches
The tiny pockets on jeans and some other pants were designed for pocket watches. They were first used with the original Levi’s “waist overalls” jeans in 1890. People don’t use pocket watches anymore, but the pockets are still around.
Does Levis still make 501?
Levi’s is No Longer Producing Any 501 Jeans in America.
Did Elvis wear Levis?
The rumor dates back to 1957 and involves “the King” himself. Elvis Presley supposedly debuted the first pair of Levi’s® black jeans while promoting his movie, Jailhouse Rock, featuring the legend rocking out in his cell block in black denim pants.
What Levis are worth a lot of money?
501s® – “The 501 is naturally the most collectible Levi’s® garment,” said Levi Strauss & Co. Historian Tracey Panek.
Are Levi’s guaranteed for life?
At Levi Strauss & Co., we stand behind the quality of our products and want every purchase to be a positive experience. All products have a 2-year warranty against manufacturing and material defects (outside of normal wear and tear).
How can you tell if Levi jeans are vintage?
3 Ways to Identify Vintage Levi’s® Jeans
- Check the Red Tab: Take a look at the right back pocket.
- Look for Care Tags: Care tags began being added to Levi’s garments in the 1970s.
Are vintage Levi’s better?
The primary difference between vintage and new pairs is the quality of the denim — noticeable in the weight, thickness and shape. Sure, vintage pairs have probably been broken in quite a bit, but they should feel more significant than new jeans.
Why do my Levis have a black label?
The model/style, waist, and leg measurements of authentic Levi’s are always printed in black text. This is because they make the stock label first and then print these details onto each individual pair of jeans. Off center labels or spelling mistakes also indicate that the pair is fake.
Why are old Levis so valuable?
Levi’s also used concealed rivets from 1936 but these were changed in 1965 to visible rivets on the back pockets. So if you find a pair of jeans with the capital letters or the concealed rivets you are in the money. Vintage Levi’s can be worth anything from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.