This is a fantastic and very rare pair of original Levi’s from sometime between 1936 and 1941. They just came out of an estate here in San Francisco where they originally belonged to the older brother of the elderly lady whose estate it was. At first appearance, they may look like the iconic model 501XX, but I suspect that they’re actually the somewhat rarer model 201XX. Here’s a run-down of the features of this pair, so you can decide for yourself. Cinch / half-belt in back. The buckle appears to be nickel-plated and has characters stamped into the metal. “Donut” buttons with raised “LEVI STRAUSS & CO”. Copper rivets with L. In raised lettering on their backs. Hidden back pocket rivets. Pocket stitching with fairly deep arcs. Pure white selvedge in legs and inside watch pocket. The watch pocket is 3-1/4 wide. Single-needle stitched inside leg seams. I tried to photograph the jeans in a couple of different kinds of light, to give the most accurate overview of their condition. Here are the actual measurements that I got with a tape-measure. Width at knee: 11. Width at cuff: 10. So they’re a great size, wearable by many people today! As far as I know, there were only three differences between the 501XX and 201XX: the fabric was from different mills (and slightly lighter-weight in the 201s), the buttons were slightly different, and the patch on the 201 was fabric rather than leather. There is no patch above the right rear pocket, nor any “ghost” where one had been. This commonly happened with 201s, since their patch was made of linen, rather than leather, so they frequently fell off after a few launderings. The condition of the jeans is remarkably good, considering they’re about 80 years old! While they were worn often enough to give them their wonderful wear patterns and fading, you can tell that they were never abused. The jeans had been kept clean and no doubt had been laundered at some point in the distant past when they were last worn, so they look and even smell fresh; no bad smells, no smoke, no mildew. They appear to be in unmolested, original condition, with no alterations. There are four small holes; the largest of which is about 1/2 across, and that largest one was hand-stitched from behind to stabilize it, many years ago (I can find no other repairs). There are about 8 small and faint spots (they can best be seen in the photo of the jeans inside-out, front view). Some of the stitching that attaches the bottoms of the back pockets to the seat, has failed, leaving open seams in the bottoms of those pockets. This could easily and invisibly be fixed with a few minutes with a needle and thread. Some of the stitching on the arcs has worn off/come out. All that remains of the red tab is a red strip, but it is present. The original owner’s name was neatly written in pen on INSIDE of the jeans, one of the pocket bags. There is no wear-through at the knees or seat (or anywhere else). So as you can tell from the description and photos, they’re in very good condition, with no major faults, and are ready to wear, or to frame and hang on the wall! In some ways, this style of Levi’s is the best of both worlds, since it has the instantly-recognizable cinch from the earliest models, but it also has belt loops, the big “E” tab, and it got rid of the pointless suspender buttons. Who knows — maybe someone will get a bargain on a pair of pre-War Levi’s! I absolutely guarantee 100% that these are authentic, original, pre-WWII Levi’s. I cannot guarantee that they will fit you, nor that they’ll match your eyes or change your life, so please understand that they are not returnable for any reason other than explicit misrepresentation. Thank you for understanding. Feel free to message me with your offer. The item “RARE original 1936-1941 cinch-back Levi’s 201 501 JEANS 32×31 pre-war XX denim” is in sale since Monday, December 05, 2016. This item is in the category “Clothing, Shoes & Accessories\Vintage\Men’s Vintage Clothing\Jeans”. The seller is “dollfieville” and is located in San Francisco, California. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Brand: Levi’s
• Color: Blue
• Original/Reproduction: Original
• Size Type: Regular
• Material: 100% Cotton
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States