Freeman's Cincinnati (formerly Cowan's)

Update, September 2026: Cowan's Auctions merged with Hindman in 2019 and with Freeman's in 2024; since November 2025 the Cincinnati gallery has traded as Freeman's.

About Cowan's Auctions

Cowan's Auctions is one of the most distinctive auction houses in the United States, having carved out a nationally recognized niche as the premier marketplace for Historic Americana — the artifacts, documents, photographs, and material culture that tell the story of the American experience from the Colonial era through the twentieth century. Founded in 1995 by Wes Cowan in Cincinnati, Ohio, the firm grew from a one-man garage operation into a multi-office business with annual sales approaching twenty million dollars.

History

Before founding his firm, Wes Cowan worked in academia and the museum world, building expertise in American material culture. In 1995 he left institutional life to return to his childhood passion for antiques and history, launching a mail-in and phone auction business from his garage. The operation grew rapidly as collectors and institutions recognized the quality of the material and the scholarly care brought to cataloguing it. Cowan starred in the PBS series History Detectives and has served as a featured appraiser on Antiques Roadshow, helping attract a loyal bidder base of more than ten thousand collectors, dealers, and institutional clients, with each sale typically drawing over a thousand active bidders from the United States, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Japan.

Specialist departments

The firm's core specialty is Historic Americana, encompassing Civil War memorabilia, nineteenth-century photography, manuscripts and autographs, flags and patriotic textiles, political campaign ephemera, and items related to the opening of the American West. Cowan's semi-annual Americana sales are marquee events, and the firm has handled landmark collections including the William Koch sword collection and the George Oldenbourg Collection of presentation and identified Civil War arms. Beyond Historic Americana, Cowan's maintains strong departments in:

• American Indian and Ethnographic Arts
• American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts
• Firearms and Militaria
• Modern and Contemporary Art and Design

Part of Freeman's | Hindman

In 2019, Cowan's merged with Chicago-based Hindman (formerly Leslie Hindman Auctioneers), and in 2024 that combined entity merged with Philadelphia's Freeman's to form Freeman's | Hindman. The Cowan's brand and its specialist departments continue to operate within this larger structure. With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Denver, Cowan's holds over forty auctions each year, including both live catalogued sales and online-only events.

Selling and bidding with Cowan's

Prospective sellers can submit items through the website, visit one of the firm's offices, or request an in-person evaluation; specialists provide complimentary estimates and advise on sale placement and timing, and commissions are negotiated individually. Buyers pay a buyer's premium typically in the 25 percent range, with full details published in each sale's conditions. Online bidding is available through the Freeman's | Hindman platform as well as Bidsquare, LiveAuctioneers, and Invaluable, with absentee and telephone bidding accepted for all catalogued sales.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Cowan's Auctions founded?

It was founded in 1995 by Wes Cowan in Cincinnati, Ohio, starting as a mail-in and phone auction business run from his garage.

What does Cowan's specialize in?

Historic Americana, including Civil War memorabilia, historic photography, manuscripts, flags, and items related to the American West, alongside American Indian art, firearms and militaria, furniture, and modern art.

Can I bid online at Cowan's?

Yes, through the Freeman's | Hindman platform as well as Bidsquare, LiveAuctioneers, and Invaluable, with absentee and telephone bidding also accepted.