It is an unlikely odyssey for that most pedestrian of fashion articles, a pair of blue jeans.
It went from an inactive coal mine in Colorado, through the hands of a few savvy investors, to a vintage clothing store in Soho and finally, when it arrived in San Francisco on Wednesday, to a hallowed spot in the archives of Levi Strauss & Co. But this isn't just any pair of jeans.With one back pocket and a leather patch on the waistband, it dates from 1886 to 1902, when it would have sold for around $1.25, said company historian Lynn Downey. It is believed to be one of the two oldest in existence. Levi Strauss gladly paid $25,000, one of the highest amounts ever forked over for a pair of antique jeans.
Such is the frenetic state of the collectible denim market that a pair of old pants is flipped like a piece of midtown Manhattan real estate. The interest in old denim - Levi's jeans in particular but other brands as well - began in Japan in the early 1980s and has spread to Europe and the United States. Aficionados say jeans of yore, besides being perfect pop icons, were cut by hand and made from heavier denim.
This pair of jeans was found in November by a "picker," someone who combs old mines, flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores. It was in remarkably good shape.
The discoverer sold the pair for $10,000 to someone who trades in such clothing. That person sold it for $15,000 to another investor, who sold it last month for $20,000 to Seth Weisser and Gerard Maione, owners of What Comes Around Goes Around, a vintage apparel boutique at 351 W. Broadway at Broome Street.
"I was trying to figure out who would be a player at that price point," said Weisser, 29, who became interested in denim as a collector's item after opening the store four years ago. The shop sells jeans priced from $30 to $3,000 as well as vintage fake fur, ski sweaters and Western shirts.
"The biggest market for vintage jeans is Japan, but I wanted to
keep them in the country," he said."I called Levi's and over- nighted them pictures. They seemed overwhelmed with happiness. They probably would have paid $40,000."
Levi Strauss, which has its own museum, agreed to the asking price on the spot.
Downey was able to date the new acquisition by the leather patch (added in 1886) and the single back pocket (a second pocket was added in 1902).
"One reason this pair of jeans is so important is that we lost everything in the 1906 earthquake and fire, and the first 50 years of our history were destroyed." she said.