posted on July 20, 2001 08:41:26 AM
I don't know if it's a true advertising item or not. It might have actually been made especially for someone.
I ran across a vintage new-old stock pair of Levi's jeans, still with the tags on them, but they are HUGE. I mean, really big. I would guess they would fit someone who was 400 to 500 pounds, but that's a guess.
I have not bought them yet because the jeans are not real cheap and I'm not sure.
I'm also not sure what collectors and dealers are referring to about the big "E".
The big "E" refers to the "E" on the little orange tag. Newer jeans are spelled Levi's and the older ones are spelled LEvi's. I don't remember the date of that change, but the big "E" jeans are selling at a good price. You can find more info on this at http://www.vintage.levi.com/
But I'm still wondering about the potential collectibility of a pair of jeans that perhaps one out of a million people would be able to wear.
That's why people buy vintage Levi's right? To wear? I assume they don't buy them to put them on display, but everyday I learn something that surprises me.
posted on July 20, 2001 09:34:46 AM
take a look at that webiste I posted
http://www.vintage.levi.com/ ......
It might have more infor for you. As far as wearing them, I would never wear a pair of vintage Levi's. Some have sold for as much as 25,000.00 Big "E's" sell into the triple digits or more depending on other differences. If this is a big "E" pair of jeans with tags, you may have something worth quite a bit of money.
posted on July 20, 2001 09:36:04 AM
Ok, I do sale clothes online and have to say that, big clothes seem to sale pretty good, especially name brands. I had 10 pair of Polo Jeans(about a month ago), the highest bidders were the larger sizes.
I think they have a hard time finding good name brand large clothes. I would give it a shot.
Jen
While I by no means stretch the size scale, my size is just slightly higher than most stores/brands carry. So finding a good deal on good clothes anywhere is a PLUS. Bad pun, sorry.
At the very worst, if they didn't sell for anything. You might sell them as fabric. Could get a good deal on the several yards there.
posted on July 20, 2001 10:26:08 AM
the local levis stores used to have that same type, huge pair of jeans hanging in their stores...sounds like they are indeed an advertising piece that you have
posted on July 20, 2001 10:26:47 AM
LC ..... Many people buy vintage Levi's for display purposes only. Most likely someone out there will think having a pair that large in their collection is kewl.
posted on July 20, 2001 03:11:34 PM
Well, I went to the place where the jeans are at to look them over again. Big E jeans with hidden rivets and a real leather tag on the back, so they are pre-early 1960's. Probably from the 40's or 50's.
He won't sell them at this time (I would have sworn that they were for sale for $75.00. Did that come to me in a dream or something?). He started talking about $30,000 pairs of old Levi's and such.
Another day, another non-deal.
Thanks to all for your suggestions.
cabledogii I did lookat the website you provided and I learned a few things. Thanks!
[ edited by loosecannon on Jul 20, 2001 03:24 PM ]
posted on July 20, 2001 03:17:52 PM
Hi Loosecannon,
Here's what I know, or rather THINK I know.
About 5 years ago the market for vintage denim was sizzleing. Levi's were king followed by a pecking order of other brands. The market was fueled by an asian market for them (as were many items that fit the asian perception of vintage "Americana". A lot of vintage was also heading for some European contries as well, but the big market was the orient, predominently Japan. Hence there were several brokers on the west coast, mainly CA and WA, who bought massive amounts of Vintage supplied by an nationwide contingent of middleman buyers who in-turn relied on an army of pickers. Probably my best find was a pair of dead stock jeans in black denim from 1958-59 with all tags and pictures of that years rodeo stars which helped date them.
The signifigance of telling you this is to illustrate that the final buyers can be quite picky about what they want and hence what value a pair might hold. The emphasis, at that time, was on INDIGO jeans in the waist size range of 32-38, with length not quite as important. Many pants makers only offered a few lengths as "rolling" and hemming was common and almost expected in the 50s and early 60s. All the other indicators of their vintage was also obviously important (ie: big E, red lines, strap back, etc). Indeed the brokers I was dealing with had to check with their clients to see if black was an acceptable color. One tried to lowball me because of color, when I told him I'd have to check elsewhere before I committed, he doubled his offer and said he didn't mind sitting on them till he found a buyer. I checked another broker anyway whom I had dealt with and he offered me 700 for them, but even he had to call his client in Japan first before he would even want them at all. The first guy called back and upped his offer to 800. I told him they were sold. Bear in mind these guys are going to double their money on them!
Apparently, even though indigo was the sought after color, because these were in the 50s, and they were western style jeans, and black is THE cowboy color, they were very desirable as "Americana".
The market took a big hit when the Japanese economy plummeted. Followed in quick succession by the growing popularity of ebay and the internet, the vintage market (prices that is) were just a shadow of its former, with certain items that were rare (and proven to actually be rare by the internet gauntlet) still doing well or even as good as they used to. It seems that with ebay and webstores, anyone now had access to a "broker" and TONS of vintage hit the already softening market. Oddities and advertizing items were always at somewhat of a premium. I too remember giant pairs of Levi's pinned up on the walls of some boutiques but I also remember a few 500 pound farmers in our rural townships! So a few calls or emails to websites such as mentioned should find out for you quickly if what you have is interesting to those that matter or not. I don't know what the prices are like now, I stopped picking them a couple years ago when the market soured. It was a mighty good time while it lasted.! my yard saleing and picking competition had no idea why I was buying all those old clothes! Even if they copied me they didn't know who to sell them to! I bought a shirt off a fellow dealer's back for 25, he thought I was an idiot, he couldn't take it off fast enough. It was like new, sold for 150.
[ edited by long_gone on Jul 20, 2001 03:21 PM ]
posted on July 20, 2001 03:30:59 PM
Thanks for your thoughts long_gone.
As usual, I try to get in on everything way late.
But I'm sure the jeans were for sale the last time I saw them. I think he was clued in somehow that they were possible worth some real money.
Oh well, a person can't know everything about everything and always be ready to jump. I've taken chances before. Sometimes it works out well. And sometimes...
I tend to err on the side of caution, but I know for a fact it's cost me some money being too cautious. Once, I found an item for $150, and it interested me. After hemming and hawing I decided to leave it until I found out more about it. I found out it was probably worth $500 to $750, perhaps more.
posted on July 20, 2001 08:11:44 PM
You're right on the money there, it's IMPOSSIBLE to keep up with all dynamics and info on SOOOOO many catagories of valuable stuff. But that can be a good thing too, it makes you realize that everyone else you deal with is in the same position. No matter how savvy they may come across, you can be certain that they have an enormous void in their body of knowledge as well. There are certainly some very broad knowledged folks out there, but it's just humanly impossible to know even half of it. With that in mind, you can potentially find an enormous bargain virtually anywhere from anyone.
I have a rule of thumb that (generally) works well for me. I consider myself of average intellect, so if something interests me, even if I don't have a handle on its value. surely it will interest many others. It has to TRULY interest me or have a great deal (in my eyes) of potential social or cultural signifigance. I determine what its worth, to me, soley on interest alone. I then research as best I can with the time I have. I find that my sense of interesting items is constantly getting better and the "chances" I take have paid off FAR more than the times I lost. But you'll NEVER know what you miss if you don't have confidence in your intuition (and salesmanship) Even if it turns out to have less value than I hoped, its hard to get stuck with it, because surely there's someone out there who would eventually be willing to pay the same as I did, and with some of that salesmanship and enthusiasm, I almost always make money. At the worst, I never lose the entire investment unless I break it or it turns out to have unseen damage, repairs or missing vital parts. In fact, I learn more and gain more confidence from (thoughtfully) speculating than reading the dozens of books and guides.
I have to iterate the importance of salesmanship and genuine enthusiasm when its selling time. And its also important to have more than one venue to move your goods. I find that I have use all my resourses to keep a viable flow of my merchandise, I don't think I could make it with just one outlet for selling.
posted on July 20, 2001 08:26:21 PM
Someone recently sold a tiny pair of Levi's for over $1500.00!! They were only 12 inches tall....Was watching that auction, I love stuff like that.....Too bad those huge ones weren't for sale anymore...That would have been a good one.
. A lot of vintage was also heading for some European contries as well, but the big market was the orient, predominently Japan. Hence there were several brokers on the west coast, mainly CA and WA, who bought massive amounts of Vintage supplied by an nationwide contingent of middleman buyers who in-turn relied on an army of pickers. Probably my best find was a pair of dead stock jeans in black denim from 1958-59 with all tags and pictures of that years rodeo stars which helped date them.