Music City U.S.A.

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Object Name

"Music City U.S.A." jeweled box bag featuring a screen printed guitar among stylized flowers

Dimensions

11 3/8 L x 5 7/8 H x 2 3/4 D in.

Date

Probably 1970s (see "Additional Notes")

DESCRIPTION DESIGN FABRICATION CONDITION NOTES

DESCRIPTION

Summary

Solid warm-toned wood box purse featuring an acoustic guitar screen printed in brown and black and flanked by stylized, sinuous floral designs. Guitar frets and flowers are decorated with faux gems in blues and reds, green leaves, and pearlescent floral embellishments. "music city u.s.a." printed in hand-script cursive style in lower left corner. I's in the script are dotted with tiny faux gems.

DESIGN

Title of Piece

music city u.s.a. (sic)

Artist

Enid Collins (American, 1926-1989), for Collins of Texas

Associated Product Codes

General Colors

Brown, black, red, peach, blue, turquoise, light spring green, emerald green, pearl, amber

Collins Jewel Colors

Emerald, Topaz

Subjects

Music, musical instruments, Country Music, Nashville, Tennessee

Signature and/or Mark

"ec" printed on lower right of front panel (no copyright symbol)

Accessories

Undetermined

Unknown

FABRICATION

Materials

Acrylic serigraph on heavily lacquered solid wood (probably mahogany with walnut stain); glass jewels manufactured for Collins of Texas in the Czech Republic; acrylic embellishments; hand-wrought solid brass clasps and ornaments; rigid vinyl handle; natural hand-stained leather trim; satin lining; mirror

Techniques

Serigraph (screen) print; machine-made box with hand-applied stain and lacquer; hand-wrought solid brass; some hand assembly (hand application of jewels)

Place of Manufacture

Medina, Texas

Places of Sale

Undetermined

Rarity

Unrated

CONDITION

Condition

Very good

Condition notes

Shows typical wear from use; serigraph vivid; original embellishments intact and in place.

Preservation notes

None

NOTES

Additional notes

A tribute to Nashville, Tennessee, home of the Grand Ole Opry and with a long history of songwriting, recording and musical performance. I'm guessing this is a later box bag - perhaps early 1970s. It feels too symmetrical to be Enid Collins's own design and doesn't seem to fit in with her other 1960s designs. I don't know for sure, but I like it anyway.