A comprehensive resource of defunct t-shirt labels manufactured prior to the year 2000.
Vintage T-Shirt Collective
Putting The T in Pinterest
January 27, 2012 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment
Please join us over at Pinterest. Pintawhat? It’s a burgeoning social virtual scrapbook network. Women are the heaviest users because it’s basically crack when you want shopping inspiration. Many ladies are claiming they need a pintervention after only a few hours of use.
But there’s a nifty men’s apparel category and that’s where you’ll find the Defunkd profile. We’re gonna plug in all things vintage t-shirt we dig up while surfing that doesn’t get coverage on our blog. Click through to the story behind the infamous “Wild Thing” tee and how Marshall Lester bootlegged the design. Shame on him.
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Marshall Lester
January 18, 2012 by Jimmy J · 1 Comment
Brand #27: Marshall Lester
Circulation: Common
Era: Late 1950s-?
Information: With Britain suffering from U.S.A.mania the t-shirt explosion was felt across the pond. Scott Lester made a healthy living manufacturing flags and patches for retailers while fathering his boy Marshall. In his early twenties Marshall started doodling all things American: cities, cars, you name it. Then he had them printed on tees and sent them out for sale just to see what would happen. Well, some serious sh*t happened. As the story goes a few days later the first of the Brighton Mods-and-Rockers riots went down. Marshall Lester watched it on television and noticed the Mods were wearing his t-shirts.
Despite the blood stained hooligans who popularized the shirts each one contained delicate washing instructions “by hand using mild soap flakes in luke warm water. Squeeze gently – do not rub.”
It quickly became the t-shirt for those in the know. Marshall designed, his father’s operation manufactured and the blanks became a destination for discerning European screen printers. Many of the rarest vintage rock tees bear the Marshall label. The slogan on some of the labels made their success clear: “The World’s Leading T-Shirt Printers.” Exactly how long the brand lasted is unclear.
If you have any additional info on Marshall Lester please comment below.
Have a photo of a tag design we missed? Please share it by clicking on “+image” below the comments field!
- View the previous Crazy Shirts brand.
Play Deep
January 16, 2012 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment
The vintage t-shirt model seems to be going the way of extinction on eBay so from time to time we’re going to showcase a few live ones. Meet one of the many models from eBay store DanceSportProShop. She’s sporting a vintage tee from The Outfield‘s debut album “Play Deep” which was released in 1985 and contained their hit, “Your Love.” Their tour t-shirts aren’t all that common, but not particularly in demand either.
We’re not big fans of yellow based tees or the front design – but it’s never looked as interesting that’s for sure. Are those tassels inspired by Macho Man? Ohhhhh Yeeeeahh!
Please let us know if you stumble on a vintage t-shirt model (girl or boy) who catches your eye.
He’s On a Boat!
January 15, 2012 by Jimmy J · Leave a Comment
The Captain’s vintage has just dropped over 100 vintage t-shirt auctions all starting at $9.99. No high priced starting bid or buy-it-now bollocks, just old school eBay auctions – where magic happens.
Check them out here.
Going Once, Going Twice, Going Broke
January 12, 2012 by Jimmy J · 2 Comments
Every few weeks we scour through eBay’s vintage t-shirt sales and report which relics are fetching top dollar. More reasons to raid your grandpa’s closet.
Click the links below to view the full eBay listing or the seller’s current inventory.
- 80s vintage Vain No Respect t-shirt sold for $699.00 by Stormcrow-Vintage
- 70s vintage Ramones t-shirt sold for $430.00 by strummer108
- 90s vintage Dying Fetus t-shirt sold for $300.00 by BSKF-VINTAGE
- 80s vintage Dead Kennedys Bedtime t-shirt sold for $300.00 by PuNKrEviVal
- 80s vintage Rolling Stones t-shirt sold for $262.00 by WyCo_Vintage
- 90s vintage De La Soul t-shirt sold for $249.00 blackrebelvintage
- View a previous edition where a Keith Haring t-shirt fetched top dollar.
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