A personal and professional journey into the world of Enid Collins bejeweled box bags and other whimsical work.

Anybody who has worn an Enid Collins bag knows that it’s not just a purse. It’s a “conversation starter." It’s high fashion. It’s art. Likewise, Finding Enid with LOVE is not just a website.

Finding Enid with LOVE is a professional inquiry into all things “Collinsiana” — especially the many-sided artist and the people who cherish her work. Guided by my background in cultural anthropology, fine art and museology, I conduct the project as what I call “purse anthropology.” I seek to explore and build understanding about Enid Collins as an important American mid-century folk artist, designer, female entrepreneur and fashion-industry icon. I am interested in the physical and artistic attributes of her bags — but also their stories. What inspired their designs? Who sold and bought them? Where were they carried and what objects (or secrets) did they conceal? Why are they so significant to the people who possessed them? And why do so many of us “pant for” them even now?

Finding Enid with LOVE also includes museum-quality curation of original physical Enid Collins artworks. Today, the collection consists of more than 1,000 original vintage Enid Collins box bags, canvas totes, leather bags, papier maché pieces, and documents, plus representative imitations and derivatives. I am pleased to present a digital window into these works and my research here. I hope that they feed your passion, pique your interest, and continue to serve as “conversation starters” among us — “who have a flair for the truly distinctive!”

Explore My Little Corner of Collinsiana

This Finding Enid with LOVE digital catalog is a partial representation of the physical collection of Enid Collins artworks I’ve assembled over a decade. I created it to give these works exposure, create a dynamic record of the objects, and encourage others to share and explore knowledge about Collins and her art. I research, restore and catalog items according to museum registration methods. The online collection changes from time to time, so please come back to see what’s new.

Do you remember your first Collins of Texas handbag? Was getting it a memory you’ll never forget? Has someone special handed one down? Are you an impassioned collector or reseller who’s witnessed that magic moment when someone new discovers Enid Collins?

Whatever your interest, whatever your story — I’d love to hear from you!

Visit the Finding Enid with LOVE Shop to find original Enid Collins box purses and vintage replacement jewels available for purchase in my Etsy and eBay shops.