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Men's "Miner's" Pants, Five-Button Style, Dement Trunk--Possibly by Levi Strauss [159097]

Currency:USD Category:Artifacts / Shipwreck Artifacts Start Price:25,000.00 USD Estimated At:50,000.00 USD and UP
Men's  Miner's  Pants, Five-Button Style, Dement Trunk--Possibly by Levi Strauss [159097]
SOLD
95,000.00USDto m**************g+ buyer's premium (19,000.00)
This item SOLD at 2023 Mar 11 @ 11:30UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
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Pair of men's work pants recovered from the Dement trunk found at the S.S. Central America shipwreck. The five-button fly strongly suggests these were an early manufacture of work pants sold by Levi Strauss. The original color of the fabric is unknown, and the blacks and browns visible now are fugitive stains from the trunk and its other contents. These pants appear new, probably bought in San Francisco by Dement. They are markedly different than any other pants found in either the Dement or Easton trunks, and appear to be miner's pants. The five button fly is nearly identical, if not technically identical, to Levis of today, inclusive of the exact style, shape and size of the buttons themselves. We do not believe this to be a coincidence.

Very little was known of the very important Levi Strauss Company in the 1850s until now, and we are still learning more since I wrote the story in the catalog (FH). Please see details in the important new article included in the catalog on the pants and the Levi Strauss Company. Catalog available at https://www.holabirdamericana.com/ssca-collection

Strauss Essay available at https://online.pubhtml5.com/esfe/ldbu/#p=173

These pants are exceptionally significant.

Date: 1857
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Provenance: SS Central America Collection