Page 38 - Chinese Export Art Christie's New York, Jan 21, 2016

THE COLLECTION OF J. JEFFERSON AND ANNE WEILER MILLER
Anne and Jeff Miller shared a life-long enthusiasm for the decorative arts, building a
significant collection of American folk art (sold in a major one-owner auction at Pook
& Pook Inc in April 2015) as well as a charming collection of European subject Chinese
export porcelain. Jeff claimed that receiving a “Lowestoft” platter as a wedding present
in 1948 sparked his interest in porcelain. In their 57 years of collecting, the couple
enjoyed attending numerous auctions and symposia and formed close relationships with
knowledgeable dealers, scholars, and fellow collectors. Jeff, a decorated WWII veteran,
returned home to study at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland.
After a number of years in the legal profession, Jeff left the practice of law to follow his
passion and enrolled in the American Material Culture program at Winterthur Museum. In
1962 Jeff became a curator in the Department of Ceramics and Glass at the Smithsonian
Institution. Some years later, when Jeff retired, the couple returned to Baltimore and Jeff
became Acting Director of the Maryland Historical Society. The couple remained deeply
involved in a number of arts institutions in their native Baltimore. For the whole of their
lives, Anne and Jeff enjoyed living amidst their multiple collections and entertaining family
and friends in their wonderful home. As Jeff wrote, “There is sustained enjoyment in just
having these old things around me, and in having knowledge about them.”

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