I will respond to such voices.
POINT
The 501 has been popular among many people for over 100 years, and I will introduce 501XX, one by one, and identify the age of the 501XX by unraveling these details.
Contents of This Article
- The details of 501XX
- A position of 501XX in the vintage denim
- The vintage denim as an asset
Reliability of This Article
About me writing this article,
- Own 4 pairs of vintage denim (501XX, Big E x 2, early 66)
- On weekends, I visit vintage clothing stores around Koenji (a sacred place for vintage clothing)
I've wanted to buy a 501XX someday since the day I started getting interested in vintage denim.
I wanted to actually hold that texture in my hands, and I finally bought it!
This article was written with reference to the magazine "The Jeans Bible - Levi's 501" and with the author's knowledge added.
Detail of 501XX
There is a lot of damage, but I fell in love with this atmosphere and decided to buy it.
It is not only battered, but its atmospheric appearance is very close to the author's ideal.
Patches
501XX exists with paper patches and leather patches, but the author's 501XX has a paper patch.
A small amount of paper still remains.
Note
501XX has leather patches until about 1954, and paper patches from then until 1967, when sales of the 501XX are said to have ended.
Concealed rivet
Concealed rivets, not present in the current model.
It is no exaggeration to say that I bought the 501XX just to see this in person.
Note
In the World War II models, these hidden rivets are made of steel, but in later 501XX models, the hidden rivets are made of copper.
It's a flat cut design.
Red tab
The red tab is worn off on, and its letters cannot be seen.
The red tab for this vintage should be the Big E.
Top button
The top button is a silver button with a silver logo.
This is no different than the leather patch model.
Note
501s from the mid-1950s to the late 1960s had a vertical "R" letter, called a "leg-length R".
Mine was usual R.
Accurate stitch
Yellow cotton thread is used for the arcuate stitch.
The yellow threads can be seen only slightly, although they are almost completely worn away.
Belt loop
In fact, this detail was one of the deciding factors in my purchase of this.
The back belt loop is offset.
This is a difference that can be seen at a glance when compared to the current model.
This feature is believed to date from the 1950s.
The characteristics so far indicate that this 501XX was produced around 1954-1959.
Selvage
I don't have to tell you, it's selvage.
The red lines running on both sides have faded.
The bite (a.k.a. caterpillar) by the selvedge running down the side is absolutely beautiful.
Watch pocket
The rivets are of the type where the protrusion is exposed on the outside.
The fabric is wrinkled, but there is a vertical bite (commonly known as "inazuma").
Backside of top button
In the early 66 model, this part is also famous for the number "6" engraved on it.
My piece is an alphabet "L".
There are various theories on how to identify the age by the engraving on the back of the top button, but according to this blog, the engraving changes before and after the guarantee printing on the pocket.
As I mentioned earlier, older 501XX has a leather patch and newer one is a paper patch.
The older paper patches are called "with a guarantee printing" and the newer ones are called "without a guarantee printing".
Reference
The word "Guarantee printing" or "Gala" refers to the "Every Garment Guaranteed" quality assurance statement on the patch.
It seems that if it has a guarantee printing, it will be stamped with a two-digit number such as "11" or "12", and if it doesn't have a guarantee printing, it will be stamped with a single letter of the alphabet such as "L" or "K".
If this is correct, the author's 501XX is expected to be a relatively new 501XX with no guarantee printing.
The guarantee printing was made until 1960, and the w/o a guarantee printing until 1967 and later.
The author believes that this is a transitional model, just at the time when the "with-guarantee" and "without-guarantee" models are changing.
Around the back of the thigh
The biggest deciding factor in my purchase of this 501XX is the area around the back of the thigh.
I assume that this was probably caused by a match being rubbed on the denim.
In the 501XX and earlier, the matches that enter diagonally from the thighs can be seen, and the scene of those days comes to mind, giving me a nostalgic feeling.
I feel a sense of romance in the fact that this is not a natural occurrence in today's world, where lighters are commonplace.
The position of 501XX in vintage denim
501XX has gone through various changes, but 501XX model is said to have been produced between 1922 and 1967.
Naturally, S501XX, including the World War II model, was produced in the middle of the period.
501XX introduced here is estimated to have been produced around 1959.
The year 1959 is said to be the year when Singapore became independent.
In Japan's western calendar, it is the 34th year of the Showa era.
The cheapest 501XXs are priced in the 1,000 USD range, and the most expensive are priced at over 10,000 USD.
It is not possible to classify simply by age, and it is said that individual differences in details are recognized especially at the time of model changes (transitional period).
Vintage denim as an asset
There are various motives for purchasing vintage denim, from collectors to those who incorporate it into their daily fashion.
There are pros and cons to viewing vintage denim as an asset, but I see it as a portfolio of asset building.
But of course, I do not mean to say that stocks, FTEs, insurance, etc. are the same thing.
If you have enough money and are interested in vintage denim, you may consider buying it with the intention of holding it for a long time, rather than just paying 1,000 USD for a piece of clothing.
Vintage denim is defined here as something that was produced and existed in a specific period of time, and is still rare and valuable today.
At such times, the absolute number of items with recognized rarity value, such as Levi's 501XX, is decreasing day by day from the world.
Since the price is determined by the balance of supply and demand, there is a limit on the supply side as mentioned above.
So, you'll be concerned about demand when you think about it.
There have been several vintage booms in the past, and we hear that there is a modest resurgence of vintage popularity today.
It is unclear whether the popularity of vintage denim will remain strong, and demand for vintage denim will rise and fall, but the author believes that in the long run, vintage denim will be traded mainly by a certain number of core fans.
In this respect, I believe that 501XX, which has strong popularity, is traded by core fans more often than early 66, which is relatively easy to get, and therefore the risk of price plummet is low.
However, I feel that vintage denim is somewhat boring if you look at it with the mindset of buying it as an asset, reselling it and getting a return, so I personally buy it if I want it.
I think it would be better to buy them when you want them, not from the viewpoint of buying expensive clothes, but from the viewpoint of keeping them for a certain period of time and giving them away to someone else when their value has increased.
Summary: The romance of buying history is in vintage denim
Vintage denim is often understood or incomprehensible only to a few people.
That is why you want to get a gem that you yourself are satisfied with.
And the price of vintage denim is currently rising.
You can buy it when the price settles down.
Or you can buy it when you find it even if the price is high.
It is not unusual for vintage pieces to outlive their owners.
Once you have purchased an item, it may be just one owner from the vintage denim point of view.
During that certain period of ownership, it is carefully nurtured and stored for a time.
And when the owner gets old, he/she can give it to someone who will take good care of it again.
That's what I think.
Through the vintage denim, which I could not touch only in my lifetime, I inherit the history of the vintage denim.
It may sound exaggerated, but I think vintage denim has its own romance and charm.
I am happy to be one of the owners of such vintage denim, 501XX.