WOW!!! Amazing piece of history found!!!

[hbru123]

I was detecting around a homestead when I dug a few rivets and at first I thought nothing of the so I just threw them in my pouch. When I got home I started cleaning them off and I noticed that it said “L S & CO SF, Pat May 1873.” So I looked it up and I found out that it was not any rivet, this has a long and important history behind it. Let’s go back 145 years to 1873, a tailor named Jacob Davis lived in Reno when a customer with a very labor intensive job came to him and said that he was tired of wearing pants that ripped easily, soon after Jacob came up with the idea to strengthen the weak spots of pants using copper rivets. After making him a pair of pants he moved onto the next project. But not long after rumor of the long lasting work wear with riveted reinforcements spread around town and Jacob got more and more requests for the riveted work pants. He knew that he had to come up with a ideas that would do the job. Unfortunately without the financials that he need to apply for a patent and start a company he would not get very far. Soon after he reached out to his fabric supplier, a man by the name of Levi Strauss who was located in San Francisco and with his help on May 20th 1873 their patent was approved and they started their business making riveted work pants under the brand that we still know today as Levi’s Strauss. The rivets I found are the earliest types of rivets made by Levi Strauss. Sometimes the smallest pieces can have amazing history behind them.

 

[HighVDI]

Very neat find and thanks for the history lesson!

 

[Roundness]

Great story and Great Finds..

 

[TomW244]

VERY cool, and thanks for including all of the information regarding the historical background of the find. I've found very few relics which pre-date 1900, but they are, by far, my favorite finds. Nice job!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I never knew that the earliest beginning Levi had rivot with trace-able patents on them. Hmmm. There's actually collectors of vintage Americana Levi stuff. Wonder if your rivot would have any value ??

 

[lookingharder]

Great Find and the story was amazing. This is the kind of post that's really enjoyable to read. I wonder if Levi's has a museum? That button would be a great addition if they did. I cant imagine that there are too many of those button in existence.

 

[Mackaydon]

I agree 100% with your comment: "Sometimes the smallest pieces can have amazing history behind them."
Here's more about Jacob Davis.
http://renohistorical.org/items/show/48
Don......

 

[hbru123]

Very neat find and thanks for the history lesson!

Thanks!

 

[hbru123]

Great story and Great Finds..

Thanks!

 

[hbru123]

VERY cool, and thanks for including all of the information regarding the historical background of the find. I've found very few relics which pre-date 1900, but they are, by far, my favorite finds. Nice job!

Thanks! I’m glad you liked it!

 

[hbru123]

I never knew that the earliest beginning Levi had rivot with trace-able patents on them. Hmmm. There's actually collectors of vintage Americana Levi stuff. Wonder if your rivot would have any value ??

Neither did I. I am not sure if they have any value, that would be really cool if they did!

 

[hbru123]

Great Find and the story was amazing. This is the kind of post that's really enjoyable to read. I wonder if Levi's has a museum? That button would be a great addition if they did. I cant imagine that there are too many of those button in existence.

Thanks! I’m glad you liked it. I have done some research and have only seen a couple online.

 

[hbru123]

I agree 100% with your comment: "Sometimes the smallest pieces can have amazing history behind them."
Here's more about Jacob Davis.
http://renohistorical.org/items/show/48
Don......

Thanks! I will definitely read that link!

 

[trdking]

i am fairly certain your riot has value. Not very many have survived. The earlier whole pairs of pants in shreds sell for thousands of dollars.

 

[hbru123]

i am fairly certain your riot has value. Not very many have survived. The earlier whole pairs of pants in shreds sell for thousands of dollars.

Wow! I was just reading the same thing! One of the pairs with the same rivets sold for $42,000

 

[hbru123]

And the rivets are mainly the only way to ID it

 

[hbru123]

Does anyone have any idea how much just the rivets are worth? I found 2 of them

 

[Kurios1]

I love old brass relics. Even better when they are stamped with patent dates. Way cool tiny find. I love my old Levis. USA made five 0 one's are my favorite jeans.Button fly cool old jeans. Unfortunately they have gone to overseas outsourcing products and the quality just isn't the same. Getting harder and more expensive to find them on flea-bay. Thanks for the history research mate

 

[hbru123]

I love old brass relics. Even better when they are stamped with patent dates. Way cool tiny find. I love my old Levis. USA made five 0 one's are my favorite jeans.Button fly cool old jeans. Unfortunately they have gone to overseas outsourcing products and the quality just isn't the same. Getting harder and more expensive to find them on flea-bay. Thanks for the history research mate

Thanks! I agree!

 

[Ogre1190]

I'm not that into relic hunting...but you did GREAT! 🙌 THIS is why we dig. 😁