Two Horse gold layered Levi Strauss button? Any info...?

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burlbark

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Mar 5, 2011
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I had 4 hour hunt today in a forgotten Northern California Ghost town. Many pocket watches, scraps of brass, wheat cents and costume jewelry. But this took top find. Does anyone know anything about it? Its a two piece and the gold appears pretty thick.


levis gold.jpg
Levis gold back.jpg
 

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What LS says on their website is this:

Levi Strauss & Co. knew the patent [for riveting] would expire in 1890, so we needed to quickly make sure consumers understood how good – and strong – the company’s jeans were. But how do you tell that story in a way that consumers could quickly grasp?

Well, one of the answers was the image of two horses – each pulling in the opposite direction on the same pair of jeans, trying in vain to tear them apart.

But that wasn’t the only reason we first used the Two Horse® logo, We understood that not all of our consumers spoke English as their first language. We also knew that not everyone in the remote West was literate. With a memorable image to guide them, our early consumers could walk into their local general store and ask for “those pants with the two horses,” and they would get a pair of Levi’s® jeans.

In fact, the product was called “The Two Horse® Brand” until 1928, when the company adopted its Levi’s® trademark.
 

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villagenut said:
I read that Levi Strauss first used the two horse pull I age in 1886, but they may not have had it named as the two horse brand until later years as Redcoat stated. Either way it is a pretty neat buton that I failed to find online anywhere. So.....what did LS and co tell you Don't leave us in suspense..lol
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Red-Coat said:
Is that from the LS historians or from elsewhere? It wouldn't be my understanding and I could find nothing on their website about brand history which says so. The use of the logo with two horses as a brand, yes... but not the words "TWO HORSE" as a brand or part of the brand. Like this:

View attachment 2032843

The US Patent and Trademark Office database only shows the words as a brand being registered in 1917 with a claimed history of 1907 earliest in the trademark application. Their records weren't lost in a fire:

View attachment 2032844
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Perhaps the claimed history is the earliest surviving record since 1907 is one year after the fire? I will learn more today and tomorrow.

There has been allot of info coming in, some correct, some questionable. Still Waiting on the Levi's Historical for their full write up and determination.
 

Hunk-a-lead said:
beautiful and rare find, good luck on the ID
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Thank You, the Levi's Historical Department is researching the button and they currently are stumped. They are digging through the archives and will get back to me. They are very interested.

They see Levi's buttons ever day and I find it very curious that they dont know the button from just looking at it. Is it a unique specimen?
 

Levi's has gotten back to me and they believe its possibly from a pair of coveralls in the 1920's. They have asked me for permission to publish a story and will display the button in the Levi's museum if I donate it.

They do not have another example of it? Should I donate it?
 

Tough call you have there. Has anyone given you an idea of value? That may come now that Levi's has identified it as "possibly" coming from the 1920's. Apparently it's pretty rare if they are considering for their museum. You might also consider having that metal tested for gold content, if any. Great find no matter what you decide. Good luck.
 

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Sandog said:
Tough call you have there. Has anyone given you an idea of value? That may come now that Levi's has identified it as "possibly" coming from the 1920's. Apparently it's pretty rare if they are considering for their museum. You might also consider having that metal tested for gold content, if any. Great find no matter what you decide. Good luck.
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It’s 14k layered and not likely a gram of gold but it surely has collector value. I ran a scrap gold business closing the doors in 2011
 

Your find gets more & more intriguing with each post. I'm glad Levis is showing interest & you touched base with their museum. What's puzzling is they don't seem to have a similar button in their museum or archives.
Like you stated, they lost a lot in the 1906 fire & paperwork as well as specimens were probably lost. But, how did the Chinese make a "Knock-off"? Did they copy from an original button or from a picture of one & where did they get it? Here in the States or from somewhere overseas? The reason I mention this is because there is a Levi Strauss Museum in Germany. Here is a link to that site that has lots of contact info. Maybe they might be helpful also & might have a specimen or photo in their possession.
LINK:

Levi Strauss Museum – Geburtshaus Buttenheim

levi-strauss-museum.de levi-strauss-museum.de
Also, I wonder if your button was the main button on the front of the jeans above the fly, or could it be one of a possible 4 buttons (2 in front & 2 in back)
for a pair of suspenders to loop onto. If so, there might be more similar buttons like yours in the area you found it.
Very interesting story. Looking forward to some more positive news from your sleuthing. CHEERS !!
p.s. From what you found so far, I wouldn't be surprised if your button predates 1906. Just imagine if some rugged, adventurous miner left the safety of his home to look for gold in hostile lands, busted his nuts everyday, and dealt daily with all the hazards & dangers, & after it was all said & done, he left a little piece of gold for you to find to let you know that he was there.
 

Just to say that if it were me I definitely wouldn’t donate it until it had been conclusively identified and dated. You could always offer to loan it to them for display instead.

Jamie
 

I would only "Loan" it to them, with proper paperwork stating it's only a loan, I'm sure you could get a lot of money from selling it, especially in the Japan market, they are nuts for anything Levis.
 

Like many I have become intrigued by your button. Why indeed would Levi's have made a gold plated button? The fact that they would like to have it sort of rules out a private effort. Gold plated? Possibilities: 1.Perhaps a commemorative item. 2. Produced for a special individual/individuals and is a one off item. Either possibility could also explain their lack of one themselves. What if it came from Mr. Levi's personal clothing? The imagination runs wild.
 

Hey! Very cool find here. I specialize in vintage Levi's, I hunt them and collect them. So, Levi's introduced their two-horse brand in 1886 and subsequently any Levi's product had the two-horse logo.

I have seen this button before, and I wish I had picture of it. But it was on an early 1900's pair of Levi's child's coveralls. This coverall was in a private collection, and was a one of a kind piece that was undocumented. But It's most likely a button from an early bib overall or coverall.
 

burlbark said:
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It’s 14k layered and not likely a gram of gold but it surely has collector value. I ran a scrap gold business closing the doors in 2011
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@burlbark can you update us on the outcome with Levi Strauss and your button, also I would love to hear more about the history of the button??
 

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