Thrifter's thread: Levi's 501 (1960's-1990's)

This thread is not intended to detract from our other fine Levi's resources:

 

http://www.denimbro.com/levi-strauss-1870s-to-1960s_topic12.html  (Antique-vintage)

 

http://www.denimbro.com/levi-strauss-19711984the-post-big-e-years_topic65.html (Old)

 

The basic pictorial information gathered here comes from several different Japanese denim magazines, and the wonderful "The 501XX - A collection of vintage jeans" (recommended for any real Levi's enthusiast). Although most of the examples here are NOS, and any pairs still left worth thrifting will be used/trashed, it is nice to see all the various changes to the details on the card pocket-flasher and Guarantee tickets. This info can help with dating as much as patches and button numbers/letters. 

 

This info also comes from my experiences of thrifting, many moons ago, and from trawling through 100's of images over the years from various online vintage sites such as http://www.marvins-jp.com/

..which leads me to my next point -

This information will of course be updated (when time allows) and photos added, as to any new 'finds' allow us to speculate further. The 1960's and 1970's in particular have many transitional phases (and grey areas it seems) due to several factories making the 501 jean at the same time(?)

This guide is not definitive in any way and feedback is always welcome - it's a big learning curve after all.

Lastly, I've started around 1960 as I doubt many out there will be lucky enough to find an older pair with hidden rivets from the 40's or 50's (but I've left a window open if there is enough interest). The cut off point has to be the 1990's, as this starts to get into Lvc and other repro-brand territory, and then there's the 'fakes' that followed. This thread is about "Made in the USA" STF 501's from the last century!

 

PLEASE take the time to check your Levi's 501's have the following combination of factors; Look at the photos (will be updating) and read the description - this will help you determine whether they are worth investigating further

A crude example: If your 501's have a V stitch and a wash tag, then they don't comply to these models listed (the V stitch disappeared around 1970 and the first wash tag didn't arrive until 1973 ..... and so on).

 

Links to pairs are acceptable, but valuations by pm only, as I don't want this thread to turn to soup

 

In 1962 a pair of Levi's 501's would have typically looked like this when new (taken from "The 501xx") -

 

 

 

They would typically be stitched in orange and yellow thread, the two-horse patch would still have the words EVERY GARMENT GUARANTEED.  They would have the hidden back pocket rivets and the front rivets were copper-coated steel I believe (more anodized/shinier than earlier copper rivets (which seem to dull rather than rust). They would almost certainly have an offset back/centre belt-loop. The pair above seem to have something stamped on the rear of the waistband button?

 

 

 

 

More shots of the same pair (Lightning Vol 91) -

 

 

 

A closer look reveals the letter 'S' -

 

 

There is no definitive date when numbers or letters started to appear on the button backs, although my personal feeling is late 1940's. The Levi's jackets being produced at the time (the older 507xx up to 1962 and the 'new' 557xx introduced in 1961) had the # 17 stamped on the reverse of the buttons, so it is possible.

 

Lastly a pair made in the early sixties would have a 'V' stitch on the waistband.  A term coined by collectors to describe the V-shaped return of one side of the single-stitched fold of the waistband.  Shown here with the yellow thread -

 

 

And the button-hole side finished off into an L-shape normally -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basically without the two horse patch, the 501's made between c.1966-70 look very similar.

 - So no hidden rivets, still has the V stitch ( pocket selvedge remains for perhaps a year?)  and letters/numbers on back of waistband button -

 

'K' stamp -

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are three main models here:

 

501xx 501} 501 501 and 501 0117 (c.1966-1968),

501 'E' : c.1968-1970,

501 A,S,F model: c.1969-1971

 

 

 

 

501xx 501, 501 501 and 501 501 0117 (same model or just different patch codes from different factories??)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like a B, E or an F stamped on the button-back?

 

 

 

 

 

Although some of the following models overlap 1970 (notably the 'A', 'S' & 'F' model(s), the most distinguishing feature of pre-1970 501's is the V stitch. After 1970 the top edge of the waistband was, like the bottom part, chain-stitched - with two rows of single-stitch at the butt-ends (not a technical term) like this:

 

Pre-1970

 

Post-1970

 

 

This is sometimes referred to as the 501 'e' "66" model (don't get me started on this whole 'Route 66' thing). The significance of this model, especially when the new look red tab (now in the lower case spelling of "Levi's") is missing, is the evidence of the new wash tag. Instead of the garment care instructions being printed on the pocket-bag, this new separate white cotton wash tag was sewn into the outside seam, visible by the left pocket-bag. Judging by these pics, the buttons are different from the previous model too -

 

 

 

 

This model is more widely now know as the 'single-stitch' model to thrifters and collectors. Basically any 501 jean with a 6 on the back of the waistband button, a wash-tag with SF 207 (see pic) and no big E red tab, are either single-stitched or double-stitched - just look inside the back pockets: Two single rows of stitch = single stitch, Two rows of double-lock stitch = double stitched.

Simple way of determining whether they are pre or post 1978. 

1981 - c.1993. 

 

This model was the last to use the Redline selvedge and the black bar-tacked back pocket stitching, although I have seen models with selvedge but with no black bar-tack, and vice-versa. But by 1984 the 501 lost the redline selvedge altogether.

 Around 1982 the font of Levi's on the red tab changed, as well as the info and shrinkage % on the (SF 207) wash tag (see photos). There was also a new flasher dated 1981)

 The number on the reverse of the fly button is usually 524, although I've seen one or two transitional models (c.1981) with the aforementioned # 6 stamp on the button.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Around 1982/83 over-lock stitching gradually replaced the redline selvedge.

The earlier non-selvedge 501's used copper/orange stitching, whereas the models made after 1984 used the white over-lock stitch only. The button stamp here is 525..

 

 

By 1984 there was a new flasher and the wash tag was given a new makeover (back view only) -

 

 

And by 1987 another flasher, although same wash tag (front view) and the new Two-horse patch showing he first 'return' of XX after the # 501 in red (along with the 'care instructions inside garment')

 

 

 

Another flasher, dated to 1991 (not shown here) and a change to the rivets on the blind side -

 

 

 

 

Last flasher dated 1993, and this model ran until the closing of the Valencia street factory in San Francisco in 2002. Note the 501 xx is now printed in black. 

 

1992 saw the introduction of the last type of wash tag, with the silver thread (fly button back stamped - 552, 553 and 555).