Vintage retro Enid Collins purses and handbags

Enid Collins (nee Enid Roessler) was born in San Antonio, Texas. After studying fashion design in the 1940s, she settled down as the wife of an up and coming sculptor. They combined their talents to start a business selling handmade handbags.

The ever-increasing popularity of their designs required some simplification of the manufacturing process to increase productivity. Eventually, in the early 1970s, the business was sold to Tandy Leather and continued for some time under Enid's guidance.

Enid died in 1990.

After some initial design modifications, two basic bags were being produced. One type was the popular "box bag" -- this was a roughly cigar box shaped purse with a handle and clasp. The other type was a linen bucket style bag with a wooden base. The bucket bags are not as popular as the box bags.

The earlier bags made in the 1950s through 1968 will be marked with Enid's name, or initials, or both. Some bags may also have a handwritten signature from a promotional signing.

If the bag says it was made by "Collins of Texas" without Enid's name or initials, it is a later bag made by Tandy Leather.

Some bags are marked with both "EC" and "Collins of Texas". These are from the transitional period in which ownership of the company was being transferred to Tandy, but Enid was still actively overseeing production.

Often imitated, but never duplicated! Enid's distinctive style has its share of imitators, but with a little practice it's easy to tell her bags from all the rest. The important thing to remember is that her bags are almost always signed or initialed. If there's no marking, it's probably not hers!