Cowan's Auctions is Cincinnati and the midwest's auction house for Fine Art, Decorative Art, American Indian Art, Antique Firearms, and Historical Americana. Members of the Cowan's team are there to answer any questions you have and pick up an auction catalog plus enjoying some wonderful food and beverage courtesy of Funky's Catering. I attended the Fine Jewelry preview event to check out the Art Smith pieces they were auctioning off, a beautiful pair of sterling earrings, necklace, garnet ring, brooch, and contemporary pin. When you attend a preview event you're able to check out the items the night before the auction and try them on if you would like. Each auction is different and has a different buyer's premium, I'm interested in attending future events to see what unique items are in store to add to my collection. read more

Update to my last post. Attached is a list of there price breakdown. This is in addition to the 20% fee on the purchase. $32 for a box and bubble wrap? $8 for labor? Please be cautious buying from cowans read more

I have bought several things from this auction house online. They have shipped the items pretty quickly. Sometimes, they might be a bit slow, but I think that is because they are getting the right carrier. They answer email or phone calls pretty quickly and the website runs really well during the auctions. I have been to their offices and they are laid out quite well. The warehouse is amazing with all those antiques. You should sign up and see if you can win a few things in an auction. read more

BEWARE of Cowan's Auction, now owned by the horrible Hindman's Auction house. They charged a 25% premium and then tried to charge me 87 dollars to ship a 200 dollar 18.5x25.5 poster from Ohio to California. When I complained they said they thought it was framed and they would lower the shipping. They then send a bill including 50 dollars shipping. When I wrote them asking why the cost was so high to roll a small poster in a tube with postage I know is less than 12 dollars they wouldn't reply to my email. Instead they charged my credit card, including the 50 dollars and a 7.50 credit card charge. A few years ago I also had a problem with Hindmans when he sold me some circus posters in a lot for 527 dollars and I found out they were not original but cheap reproductions. I called and they agreed to cancel the sale but six months later Hindman called and rudely demanded payment. He said that even though the information on Live Auctioneers didn't say they were reproductions they were covered since their own website disclosed they were reproductions. When I refused to pay he tried to ban me from bidding on Live Auctioneers. He then resold the posters again without disclosing on Live Auctioneers that they were worthless reproductions. I buy from over 100 auction houses and Cowans/Hindman are the worse I have dealt with. They lie, they cheat and they rip you off. BUYERS BEWARE. read more

Like almost all the other reviews, the extra charges this company tacks on is unreal. The total was 42.5% additional charges. The hammer price was $600, my total bill? $855. The shipping alone was 3 times that of a much better and more reputable competitor, Rock Island Auction. Cowan was a great house, but then I saw the charges they had for my latest purchase, then realized they had sold out to a conglomerate. Another good company gone. read more

Just a warning for online bidders concerning the extra fees Cowan's charges for items won at auction. I won two items bidding online....the winning prices totaled $440 before fees. The final OTD price billed to me was $753. Shipping costs!!!! I won two small potteries measuring 7" and 9".....they want to charge me $165 to ship those two pots (I collect and sell pottery and the max I would have charged with insurance is $50 for both). I guess they will wrap items in gold leaf. Not only are shipping charges exorbitant but they take 2 to 3 weeks preparing items for shipment. The add-on charges that Cowan's charges are far in excess of other auction houses. Be prepared to pay substantially above the amount that you bid for an item should you choose to bid online. Last time I will ever use Cowan's auction. I can only assume the positive reviews are locals who paid in cash and took items home. Online buyers beware. You can do much better on eBay. read more

They sold me items (Noguchi table and milo baughman etagere) listed in the catalogue as authentic and then I found out they weren't. I have been trying to get in touch with Nicole Joy and Jennifer Howe for days and they won't return calls or emails. Then they changed the descriptions in the invoice to say "manner of". If an auction house changes the catalogue description after the auction is over, that should be a huge red flag. Their employees also talked poorly about other auction houses in town. Dishonesty seems to be a theme in their reviews. I'm sure a few more five star reviews will pop up after mine is posted. read more

Poor customer service and slow shipping. They are going downhill from when they were a first class auction house.

Less than 4 weeks delivery time to the west coast after gavel. ( paid by check ) Excellent packaging, item was exactly as stated in description & the picture was an accurate replica. Thanks for the great service, looking forward to the next indian auction !!! Steve T. vista ca read more

I put two 19th century sillhouetts on the Cowan auction. One was labeled with the artist name and "General Montgomery". Cowan's estimate 200-400. The actual listing said " sillhouett of a gentleman" and sold for $40. Major disappointment. read more

First time I dealt with this company everything wen't OK. Items were mailed via USPS to my POST OFFICE BOX and it cost me $9.00 in brokerage fees to get it across the border. Second time, same shipping charges, same POST OFFICE address, but they decide to use United Parcel Service. Did they contact me for a correct shipping address? NO. Did they ask me if I had my own courier account? NO. Did they ask me if I had my own brokerage firm? NO. They just decided to ship to a POST OFFICE BOX mailing address rather than contact me. Apparently their "expert shipping department" doesn't know that a mailing address and a shipping address can be two different things. City people no doubt. When I contacted them and asked them to do an intercept with UPS they refused to do so. When asked why they shipped this way I was told it was a cheaper shipping method! Since they charged $2.00 more than the first time who was it cheaper for? Not me, cause courier companies charge more than $9.00 to broker items across the border if you don't have an account with them. They charge a value of the percentage of the goods. So the brokerage fee cost me an extra $129.84 which I had to pay before I got my goods which were bouncing all over the country because of the POST OFFICE address on the package. Why UPS even accepted the package is beyond me, which is why I don't deal with them. When I complained to Cowan's they told me I shouldn't have assumed that they would send it by the Post office like they did last time! Guess it's my fault that they used a courier to a POST OFFICE BOX without questioning it first. As far as the extra cost they are so clueless that they think the brokerage charges are for duty. There is no duty on Most Favoured Nation traders, which Canada and the US are. The extra charges are caused by a shipping department who uses the cheapest method for them and pockets the difference. To hell with what it cost the customer on the other end. Plus the fact they sent 9 pieces of jewellery in a 18 X 13 x 13 inch box! You pay by volume not just weight in case you don't know. They are charging 23% on the hammer price, plus another 3% if you use a credit card for 26% of the hammer price. Then once they have your credit card they ship the most convenient way for them, and don't give a damn about any extra charges this would cause to their customers. The auction was on the 19 of Nov. 2018, invoice not received till Dec 10, shipped on Dec 12 and finally received on Dec 17 after numerous calls to UPS trying to re-direct it to my physical address and not the post office. Had Cowan's not taken a holier than thou attitude about this I might still deal with them, but I'm in business to make money for me not them and 26% plus any lack of responsibility to the customer just turns me off. read more

An excellent experience from start to finish. The shipment of over twenty books was VERY well packed. I've bought books from many auction houses, Rock Island, Reata Pass, Morphy's, etc. Not only was each book intact and safe, but they also DOUBLE BOXED the shipment, something no other auction house has ever done. I also needed to change the shipment date due to my work schedule and that was no problem at all. Their customer service is one of the best, maybe even the very best, of all the auction houses I've bought from. I would not hesitate to buy from them again. read more

Read the Google review. Never again at this place. Unorganized, unprofessional. I regret choosing this auction house. It looked good in print, the television show association with Wes, etc. I should have done more research. read more

Auction House Cheats! I bid on and won an expensive gold pocket watch through the internet as I live in Los Angeles and had to rely on Cowan's Auctioneers honesty regarding the condition and description of the item. This honesty was was non existent! Most of their items in the catalogue did not have a condition report attached to the listing which meant that they expected you to send a written request for one. On this particular lot however, they did mention in an area below the description under the words, "Condition", "Very Good". When I received the watch in the mail, I discovered everything but "Very Good Condition". For starters, the winding crown literaly popped out when I went to set the time. Upon further investigation when I lifted the back cover to see the movement, I immediately noticed that there was a screw missing that would hold the crown in. This is something that they would have known but chose not to share. Then when I went to operate the chronograph, it would not function and as I looked closely, I saw that the chrono hand was broken and had been glued on. Again, this is something that they would have known. At this point I immediately sent them a message about my concerns and continued to do so for more than 3 weeks with no response. Finally after my last message where I told them that I would be filing a report with their State's Licensing board, they responded and played dumb saying they never got any messages from me. Funny how I even talked to one of them on the phone where they told me that my concerns were on the desk of the owner and I guess they don't remember that either. Some auction houses will purposely leave out condition information but for Cowan's Auctions to lie about the condition to unsuspecting online bidders who cannot be there to inspect the item is more than unexceptable, it is stealing! read more

Great and friendly people ! Very helpful every time, I had question (s) or values on items. They were always there for me and didn't even charge me (money), to ask or look at the items . Wonderful people. read more

Need to update my 1 star review to at least 4 stars. Maybe add another later. Yes shipping charges can be horrible, but the items arrive well packed and unbroken. Framed paintings with glass are very fragile but have arrived here on Puget Sound safe and sound. Packing is first rate but expensive. Keep in mind when bidding if you can't go pick up the item in Cincy. Oh and and no sales tax helps. Have bid and won in many auctions and have been well pleased with the art and antiques I receive from Cowans. Staff is helpful. Oh and btw tried to use another shipper in Cincy but got an atrocious price quote, as in yep that will be one thousand and forty eight dollars shipping... Give me your credit card number right now or else it will go up up...was he joking ? Cowans shipping and pack quote was 250 bucks...lots of fragile stuff. Examine the photos carefully and read the descriptions, Cowans tries to be very accurate but in antiques and art there is an amazing amount of subjectivity on part of both buyer and seller. read more

Great process, really solid support. Shipping fees were originally high and out of state tax was charged, but in speaking with the team, they removed the out of state tax and reduced shipping costs. Good experience and would recommend. Very responsive and professional. read more

After 35 years of dealing with Cowan's I'm considered a "Frequent Flyer". As an appraiser in St. Louis, I have consigned numerous items to Cowan's that would have found no home in St. Louis and with WONDERFUL results. You tend to like people who make money for you!! --- Numerous customers of mine have been extremely pleased with the financial results of Items that I have brokered there for them. Since my first endeavors, over 35 years ago, their expertise has grown From "Cowan's Historical Americana Auctions" to " Cowan's Auctions" as their expanded and diversified staff now offers a virtual " all inclusive" scheduling of well advertised, and often printed catalog offered, auctions exposed to an INTERNATIONAL audience, giving their offerings adequate perusal to an all-inclusive buying public. Their honesty is beyond reproach or I would definitely NOT jeopardize my reputation in dealing with them --- The only reason that I only gave them 4 out-of 5 stars is a complaint that I have with every auction house that I have ever done business with COMMUNICATION! --- Oh well -- If I need info I guess I'll just have to call and get it!! ----- PS -- Amy (The Receptionist) is your "go to" gal! --- AAAppraisers read more