launched in 1995
- 1980 Wes was on faculty of the Ohio State University
- 1984 Wes joined Cincinnati Museum of Natural History as Curator of Archaeology
- 1995 retired & started Cowan’s Auctions, Inc.
- 2014 launched their website
- co- launched bidsquare.com
Cowan’s Auctions
6270 Este Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45232
513-871-1670
cowanauctions.com
About Cowan’s Auctions
Cowan’s Auctions is a Cincinnati auction house founded in 1995 by Wes Cowan, an anthropologist and archaeologist who left academia and museum work to go into the business full time. Cowan holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Michigan, taught at Ohio State University, and moved to Cincinnati in 1984 to become curator of archaeology at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. He is widely known to the public as an appraiser on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow and a host of the PBS series History Detectives.
Under Cowan, the firm grew from a one-man shop into one of the leading American auction houses for historic Americana, with annual sales approaching $20 million. Historic firearms, arms and armor, and militaria have long been a major department, alongside American Indian art, photographs, books and coins. It was also one of the first auction houses to put its sales online. In January 2019, Hindman LLC acquired Cowan’s and Chicago-based Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, with Wes Cowan becoming vice chair of the combined company. At that time Cowan’s held more than 60 auctions a year from locations in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver.
Key Facts
- 1984: Wes Cowan becomes curator of archaeology at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History
- 1995: Cowan founds Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati
- January 9, 2019: Hindman LLC announces its acquisition of Cowan’s Auctions and Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
- 2019: Cowan’s holds more than 60 auctions a year, including historic firearms sales
Sources
- PBS Antiques Roadshow: Wes Cowan
- Fine Books Magazine: Hindman LLC Acquires Leslie Hindman Auctioneers and Cowan’s Auctions
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