내게도 이런 친구가 생길까?

제이콥 데이비스는 청바지 구리단추 디자인을 한 뒤, 이를 레비 스트라우스에게 특허등록하라는 편지를 보냈다. 이에 레비 스트라우스는 이를 특허등록, 드디어 청바지 특허를 얻었다.

레비 스트라우스는 청바지를 만들어 위기를  탈출한 이후에도 여전히 천막과 청바지 사업을 하는 평범한 사업가였다. 이때 스트라우스한테서 천막 원단을 받아다가 청바지 등을 디자인해 만들던 재단사 제이콥 데이비스는 우연한 기회에 청바지 호주머니마다 구리단추(리벳)을 달아 옷을 더 튼튼하게 만드는 법을 개발했다. 이때 데이비스는 스트라우스에게 특허비용을 대는 조건으로 공동 특허를 내자고 제안했다. 서로간에 신뢰가 없었다면 이런 일은 일어나지 않았을 것이다.

훗날 아이팟 개발자가 스티브 잡스에게만 이 기술을 제공한 것과 같다. 아름다운 일이다. 한 길 고집부리며 가다 보면 뜻 맞는 좋은 친구가 길을 열어줄 수도 있으리라.

내가 모르는 무언가를 내게 가져오기를 바라지는 않는데, 내가 평생 만들어 이룬 바이오코드에 날개를 달아줄 친구는 생겼으면 좋겠다.

<그대는 그런 사람을 가졌는가? 예, 갖지 못했습니다>

Levi Strauss 1829년, 01code

Jacob Davis1831년, 03code

Mess. Levi Strauss & Co.

Gents,

Inclosed please find Chack for $350.00 for which please give me credit balince my account and wright me how much thare is left to my credit, deduct $4. for the Plush and Thread which I have sent back. The reason I send you so much money is because I have no use for it here and you may alowe me Interest as well as the Baink.

I also send you by Express 2 ps. Overall as you will see one Blue and one made of the 10 oz Duck which I have bought a greate many Peces of you, and have made it up to the Pants, such as the sample the secratt of them Pants is the Rivits that I put in those Pockots and I found the demand so large that I cannot make them fast enough. I charge for the Duck $3.00 and the Blue $2.50 a pear. My nabors are getting yealouse of these success and unless I secure it by Patent Papers it will soon become to be a general thing everybody will make them up and thare will be no money in it. tharefor Gentlemen I wish to make you a Proposition that you should take out the Latters Patent in my name as I am the Inventor of it, the expense of it will be about $68, all complit and for these $68 I will give you half the right to sell all such Clothing Revited according to the Patent, for all the Pacific States and Teroterous the balance of the United States and of the Pecific Coast I reserve for myself, the investment for you is but a trifle compaired with the improvement in all Coarse Clothing. I use it in all Blankit Clothing such as Coats, Vests and Pents, you will find it a very salable article at a much advenst rate. Should you decline to spent the amount required for the Patent Papers please wright to me and I will take them out at my own expense, under all cercomestance please dont showe the pents to anybody I have allready obtained through Dewey & Co. of the Centific Press 2 Patents and one was rejected, but I am so situated with a large Family that I cannot do anything with it at Present tharefore as I have said if you wish to take out the Papers, Please go to Dewey & Co. of the Centrific Press and have the Papers made out in my name for 17 years they will send them up to me for Signature. Please answer these as soon as possible, these looks like a trifle hardley worth speakeing off But nevertheless I knew you can make up pents the way I do you can sell Duck Pents such as the Sample a $30 per doz. and they will readyly retail for $3. a pair excuse these long latter, as I could not describe particulars in a short space, I have nothing more at present.

I remain yours Truely

J.W.Davis