Levi's 505-0217 Big E Zip-Fly Jeans Late 1960s, Button 5, Paper Patch W32 L34, Faded Indigo
Levi's 505-0217 Big E Zip-Fly Jeans Late 1960s, Button 5, Paper Patch W32 L34, Faded Indigo
- Dispatch
- Prepared and sent from Tokyo within 7–14 days, often sooner, or as arranged
- Arrival
- United States · usually 4–7 days after dispatch, insured and tracked
- Import
Duties and customs · View the estimate
A guide for this piece: about $56, based on the 10% US charge on the declared value of goods made in Japan.
The final figure is set by US Customs and depends on where the piece was made and the kind of object it is. Many antiques over a century old carry no ordinary duty; most jewellery and leather goods add a single-digit rate.
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- Sizing
- Measured flat by hand, waist, rise and inseam, in centimetres · Find your size · Ask before you buy
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A late-1960s Levi's 505-0217 with the Big E tab, a 5-stamped top button and the original paper patch still marked W32 L34, the zip-fly sibling of the 501 in a clean, light fade.
The Piece
Levi's introduced the 505 in the 1960s as a zip-fly, pre-shrunk alternative to the 501, and the 0217 suffix denotes the classic indigo denim version. Big E examples, made before the tab changed to a lower-case e around 1971, are the ones collectors seek, and the 505 has a devoted following for its slightly slimmer straight leg.
This pair carries the capital-E tab, a top button stamped 5 on the reverse, a metal zip fly and the paper patch at the waistband with 505-0217 and the size W32 L34 still legible. The back pockets carry stitched arcuates.
The fade is soft and even, with distressed abrasion and light whiskers across the thighs and a pale seat. There is a split at one knee and areas of thin, worn denim.
It is tagged W32 L34 and measures about W31 with a 76 cm inseam.
Details
- Designer: Levi Strauss & Co.
- Season: Late 1960s, Big E era
- Model / ref: 505-0217, button 5
- Material: Cotton denim
- Colour: Indigo, worn to a natural fade
- Made in: USA
- Tagged size: Tagged W32 L34
- Measurements: Waist 78 cm (39 cm flat) · Hip 92 cm (46 cm flat) · Rise 29 cm · Inseam 76 cm
- Included: Jeans only
Condition
- Vintage with honest wear.
- Split at one knee; thin, abraded areas on the thighs.
- Paper patch worn but legible.
- Light marks consistent with age.
Condition grade B on the Japanese scale; see Japanese condition ranks, explained.
Authenticity & Care
The labels, materials, stitching, hardware and construction are examined together and documented in Japan before dispatch; anything that cannot be confirmed is stated plainly in the description. Every piece carries the Japonista authenticity guarantee. Wash rarely, by hand in cold water, and hang to dry; vintage denim and old repairs reward gentle handling.
Delivery from Japan
Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Every sale is final; please ask anything before you buy, and see our published policy.
Every figure above is taken by hand with the pair laid flat, in centimetres. Measure jeans or trousers that already fit you the same way and allow a centimetre or two of margin, the quiet safeguard on a final sale. Our jeans and trousers size guide reads waist and inseam in inches and centimetres, and for anything it leaves open the curator team replies within one Tokyo business day.
Considered offers are welcome through Send an Offer, and each one is reviewed personally.
Continue browsing: Japan Luxury Archive · Levi’s
Specific Vintage Denim, Found to Order
If you are hunting a specific 505 or 501 in your size, we can search Japan's vintage circles for it. Our Hunting Salon™ locates a specific reference across Japan’s private collector circles, then inspects, documents and delivers it to you. Begin a Hunting Salon™ request →
Collectors also search: Levi's 505 Big E · Levi's 505-0217 · vintage Levi's 505 1960s · Big E zip fly jeans · Levi's 505 W32 · 60s Levi's 505 · vintage Levi's paper patch · Levi's 505 Big E W32 L34
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