HISTORY

Miller Studio was founded in 1934 in New Philadelphia, Ohio by Harry Miller and his wife Clela. Their company started out as being a small gift shop. After a few years the Millers discovered that there might be a relatively strong demand for high quality and hand painted wall plaques.

These wall plaques were made out of “chalkware.” Chalkware is molded plaster of Paris or sculpted gypsum.  Early chalkware was often hollow and can be difficult to find unblemished.

Miller studios designs were very cute and hand painted to be very colorful. It is also very easy to identify a Miller Studio wall hanging as the name is imprinted on the side of the figurine. The figurines were so cute in fact that they are a perfect definition of what we call “kitsch” today.

Initially the productions runs for these plaques was very small but by 1952 Miller Studio became the leading manufacturer of decorative wall décor for the housewares trade worldwide.  

In 1964 things changed for the company when “magic mounts” were introduced. Magic mounts are a self-sticking, double mounted tape that is used to hang wall plaques and other items and soon the product became a household name; the product is so effective that it is still used today.

In 1981 Miller Studio became a part of Millers Products, Inc, and in 1996 Beech Design & Manufacturing was is founded with six employees and one product.

Today, Beech offers several different product lines with a multitude of products and custom equipment for the material handling industry, including stackers, floor cranes, scissor and tilt tables, work platforms, vertical reciprocating conveyors, and custom equipment.

Sources:

www.miller-studio.com/msi-historical-timeline.php