Credentials

Deborah is an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and the only one in the organization to hold a designation in costumes and couture.   She also holds an MA in the History of Decorative Arts from the Bard Graduate Center (BGC) for Studies in the History of Decorative Arts and Design, where she focused on textiles and clothing.  Her studies included a year of private study with Milton Sonday, textile curator at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, NYC. Deborah has a BA in Art History from Hamilton College.

​

Deborah received her Certificate of Appraisal Studies, from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) given in conjunction with the American Society of Appraisers. She has been a textile and clothing appraisal specialist on WGBH’s Antiques Roadshow since 2010 and is a member of the Costume Society of America, the Textile Society of America, and The Costume Society (UK). She is also a member of the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum.

​

Deborah is a specialist appraiser and values historic, vintage and contemporary clothing, accessories and textiles throughout the United States and Canada. She established her appraisal firm in 2008, after eighteen years in the art world.  Today, as museums begin, broaden and strengthen their costume collections, Ms. Miller is frequently asked to appraise donations of 20th and 21st c. designer clothing, accessories and couture. In 2014, she valued the personal archive of Charles James, America’s first couturier and the subject of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibition, Charles James: Beyond Fashion.  Deborah also appraises samplers, quilts, coverlets, lace, 20th c. fabric and other types of textiles, in addition to luxury handbags, designer sketches and fashion archives.

​

Deborah is a former Peace Corp Volunteer and served in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. She has been an avid rower for 30 years, and lives in Chicago with her husband Mark and their two teenage daughters.