Help dating Vintage LEE jeans

K

Katie STBF

Registered Guest
I've exhausted my google searching trying to date these vintage Lee jeans. If anyone has any insight on the year or decade and what style these are, I'd appreciate it. Details:
42 Talon Zipper
Snap button closure with
Big E Rivets on back pockets
No lazy S or any stitching across back pockets
Small corner Lee Twitch patch on front
No front pockets other than a slit pocket on the left side.
Triple stitching down side seams
100% Cotton
Made in USA
Numbers on interior tag:
247-0647 1139B
14B 091408618

VintageLeeCollage.jpg
 
Hi Sadie and Melody. Thanks for your help! I've attached larger photos below. Additionally, I've listed the measurements:

Waist: 12" laying flat
Front rise: 11"
Back rise: 12"
Inseam: 30"

BOBW2494.JPG
BOBW2494.JPG
CJAT0574.JPG
IMG_E8541.JPG
IMG_E8542.JPG
LEOF2525.JPG
UIYL3480.JPG
 
I would say 80s or 90s. I am not super familiar with the date codes for Lee in Australia (I see a 98 in your photo), but you have the tag. I would google lee date codes and compare to your tag. But my gut says 1980s. Hope that helps.
 
The CA number dates these to no earlier than 1 December 1972 and indicates they were imported into Canada. The care info is all text based, so it doesn't help to date it (the care symbol system was voluntary). Whenever you see a CA number, you can look it up here: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/app/cb/can/public/srchFrm.html?language=eng&lang=eng. Note, however, that the database was updated in 1997, and all existing registrations were given the registration date of 1997-09-25. This one, 00492, was registered to Lee Canada Inc. and is now defunct. You can sometimes find businesses on the Canadian registry site, https://beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca/search, by selecting "Active and Inactive Businesses", but nothing is coming up for Lee, so it's been awhile. One suggestion would be to find current Lee Jeans and check the CA number: if different, and if registered later than 1997-09-25, you have at least a "latest date".
 
mad1964 said:
The CA number dates these to no earlier than 1 December 1972 and indicates they were imported into Canada. The care info is all text based, so it doesn't help to date it (the care symbol system was voluntary). Whenever you see a CA number, you can look it up here: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/app/cb/can/public/srchFrm.html?language=eng&lang=eng. Note, however, that the database was updated in 1997, and all existing registrations were given the registration date of 1997-09-25. This one, 00492, was registered to Lee Canada Inc. and is now defunct. You can sometimes find businesses on the Canadian registry site, https://beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca/search, by selecting "Active and Inactive Businesses", but nothing is coming up for Lee, so it's been awhile. One suggestion would be to find current Lee Jeans and check the CA number: if different, and if registered later than 1997-09-25, you have at least a "latest date".
Click to expand...

Wow - thanks for digging into this! I really appreciate you taking the time and providing your insights.
 
Katie STBF said:
Wow - thanks for digging into this! I really appreciate you taking the time and providing your insights.
Click to expand...

The CA system was first established on Dec 1, 1972. So whenever you see a CA number, you know the item is no older than that. Keep in mind that a CA number is only mandatory if the importer/seller contact info is not on the tag; the CA is intended as a shorthand. And some, like Winners, just add a sticker which if removed takes some info with it.

You can check the CA number in the database, but that only tells you when the company registered for the program, not when they first existed. It's the same for the American RN system. But if there is neither a CA number NOR company contact info on the label, it likely predates 1973.

Another resource I find very useful are the various trademark databases. The Canadian one shows not only when a trademark was registered but also when it was first used. Oftentimes both the word and the graphic were registered, so if a label changed (or a new line was introduced), you can often narrow things down further.

Care labels are often very helpful because they changed over time and, until 2003, were regional: the UK, EU, Canada, Japan, China, the US all used slightly different symbols (and some still do). The info on the web is not all reliable -- I even had to update the Wikipedia page on Canadian care symbols -- but there's one or two sites that are fairly comprehensive. Unfortunately, in Canada care labels are voluntary. However, while care labels are voluntary, fabric content labels are mandatory, and have been since Dec 1, 1972 (covered by same Textiles Act as the CA system).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top