Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Miller, Leon Gordon.
Title:	Leon Gordon Miller Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1959-1965
Quantity:	1 linear ft.
Abstract:	American artist, industrial designer, architect and teacher. Collection includes printed material, correspondence, subject files, manuscripts, photographs and press releases.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Leon Gordon Miller (1917-1985) was an American painter, printmaker, stained glass worker, industrial designer, architect and teacher.

Miller had numerous solo exhibitions of his work and won awards in sculpture, art and design. He was active in professional organizations relating to art, architecture and industrial design, being a founding member of the Artists Equity Association and a Fellow of the Industrial Design Institute, and a U.S. delegate to the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) to Stockholm in 1959, Venice in 1961, London in 1969, Mexico in 1971, and Japan in 1973. He was a frequent guest speaker and panelist on topics dealing with the arts and the environment, and represented the U.S. abroad in Canada, Yugoslavia, and Israel, as well as for ICSID.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Leon Gordon Miller Papers consists of correspondence-subject files, printed material, and writing. The bulk of the collection is directly related to Miller's work with the Industrial Designers Institute (IDI), for which he served as president in 1960 and 1961 and chairman of the board in 1962 and 1963.

Correspondence-subject files include general correspondence (much of which is related to IDI); material pertaining to several IDI committees such as Fellows and Nominating; and the ICSID General Assemblies in 1959 and 1961, to which Miller was the U.S. delegate.

Printed material contains brochures, pamphlets, booklets, newsletters and similar items, most from IDI but also some material from the ICSID and Miller's firm, Leon Gordon Miller Associates, Inc.

Writings are subdivided into those by Miller and those by others. Those by Miller consist of speeches, addresses, an interview, a booklet on patio design, and assorted other items. Those by others include an address by designer Jon Hauser.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Alphabetically by type or title. Within the correspondence-subject series, material in each folder is (where possible) arranged chronologically.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has extensive holdings in the area of industrial design. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Leon Gordon Miller Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Leon Gordon Miller, 1965.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MRC
Date: 27 Oct 2010
Revision history: 8 April 2013 - processed (MRC)

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Inventory

	Correspondence-subject files
Box 1		General 1957-1965
Box 1		ASID / IDI [American Society of Industrial Designers / Industrial Designers Institute] 1964-1965 - correspondence, drafts of bylaws and Code of Ethics, discussion of merger between ASID and ID
Box 1		Aspen Conference 1964
			See also Writings : by Miller : Speeches for two speeches given at the conference.
Box 1		Central New York Chapter Design Exhibit 1963 - photographs and a few items of correspondence relating to an exhibit and scholarship dinner given by the Central New York Chapter of IDI
Box 1		Compensation survey 1961 - survey undertaken by IDI on members' royalties, income, etc.
Box 1		ICSID Assembly, 1st [International Council of Societies of Industrial Design] 1959 - includes papers "The training of industrial designers" (Enrico Peressutti) and "An international definition of industrial design" (Paul Reilly)
			See also Printed material : ICSID.
Box 1		ICSID Assembly, 2d [International Council of Societies of Industrial Design] 1961 - schedule, agenda, papers, minutes, and "Four days in Venice," a journal of the congress by David Carter published in SIA Journal
			See also Printed material : ICSID.
Box 1		IDI Annual Meeting 1963
Box 1		IDI Annual Meeting 1964
Box 1		IDI Awards, 12th 1962
		IDI Awards, 13th
			See IDI Annual Meeting, 1963.
Box 2		IDI Fellows Committee 1963-1964 - committee that nominates and votes on initiating new Fellows of the society
Box 2		IDI Nominating Committee 1964
Box 2		International affairs 1961-1964 - letters from designers and design organizations in various countries

	Printed material
		American Iron and Steel Institute
Box 2			Design in Steel Award Program undated - 50-page booklet about the award; text and photos
		ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design)
Box 2			Brochures undated - infiormational brochures from the First and Second General Assemblies; English and Italian
		IDI (Industrial Designers Institute)
Box 2			Brochures undated - informational brochures about the Society, its aims, goals, awards, etc.; includes typescript draft of "Company Membership" brochure
Box 2			Bylaws undated
Box 2			Chapter material 1961-1962, undated - includes chapter manual, photograph of Ohio Valley Chapter table, "Student Chapter" brochures, etc.
Box 2			Membership lists 1960-1961, 1964
Box 2			Newsletter, IDI Dateline 1961-1963
Box 2			President's Report 1961
		Leon Gordon Miller Associaties, Inc.
Box 2			Miscellaneous undated - brochure, biographical sketch of Miller, clippings about Miller, etc.
Box 2		Miscellaneous clippings 1961-1964

	Writings
		By Miller
Box 2			President's Reports 1961
Box 2			Speeches 1961-1965 - speeches from Central New York Chapter dinner, Aspen Conference, joint ASID/IDI meeting, Fine Hardwoods Association
Box 2			Miscellaneous 1962-1963, undated - letter to the editor of SIA Journal; "Patios" idea book; interiew in Welding Design and Fabrication; remarks about Sigverd Bernadotte; etc.
		By others
Box 2			Miscellaneous 1962 - Address by Jon Hauser, "Design for management"; "What constitutes news and how to make it," H. Creston Doner; two pieces by Aarre K. Lahti on defining ID and ID education

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