John E. Miller
Historical Puppets from the collection of MarilynŐs husband, John E. Miller, had been available for exhibit in museums and other secured venues. Mr. Miller was a full time teacher of art at Northern High School, Detroit, MI. He retired after 40 years of teaching and lived in Canton, CT until his death in April of 2006. The puppets in his collection are being distributed to various museums in the United States.
The Collection was recognized as one of the largest in the United States. What began as a search for teaching aids when he taught puppetry at Wayne State University and in the Detroit Public Schools, mushroomed over the years to number approximately 500 puppets of all kinds from many different countries, and established Mr. Miller as a puppet historian.
Past Vice-President and Board Member of the Puppeteers of America, Mr. Miller frequented puppetry festivals where he purchased many of his finds, and where puppeteers gave him examples of their work for his already expanding collection. Further travels to Europe rounded it out to include some choice examples of historical interest.
Click any image below to view a larger detail shot:
Images above courtesy of Time Life Books, The Encyclopedia of Collectibles
ISBN 0-8094-2764-8. All pictures are from the John Miller collectionThe Collection has been exhibited in part in many places: 10 libraries, at least 3 banks, the old JL Hudson Company in downtown Detroit, The Detroit Institute of Arts, Wayne State University (3 times), The International Institute in Detroit (1976 P of A Regional Puppetry Festival), major museums in Wisconsin and Michigan, the Hodges Gallery at the Flint Institute of Arts and the Dennos Museum in Traverse City, MI. Small exhibits in New England included those for CGP Day of Puppetry events at the Charter Oak Community Center and The Old State House, in Hartford, CT and Artwell Gallery in Torrington, CT.
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