The patent for Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis’s riveted trousers was granted on May 20, 1873.
The patent covered the use of copper rivets to strengthen points where work trousers were likely to tear, especially pocket corners and the lower end of the button fly. It was issued to Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss, creating the legal foundation for their durable workwear business.
The date is important in the history of jeans because it marks the formal protection of the riveted construction that distinguished these trousers from ordinary work pants. The patent did not invent denim itself, nor did it create every feature later associated with jeans.
The patent’s number is 139,121. Levi Strauss & Co. and later Levi’s histories frequently refer to May 20 as the anniversary of the invention of blue jeans, although the early garments were practical workwear rather than fashion items.