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  • About Cowan’s
    • Contact / Locations
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  • Search Auction Items
  • My Cowan’s
  • Auctions
    • Upcoming Auctions
    • Past Auctions
    • Search Auction Items
  • Buying
    • How to Bid
    • How to Pay & Ship
    • New to Auctions?
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Upcoming Auctions
  • Selling
    • How to Consign
    • How Auctions Work
    • Request an Auction Estimate
    • Contact a Specialist
  • Departments
    • American History
    • American Indian Art
    • Decorative Art
    • Fine Jewelry & Timepieces
    • Fine Paintings & Works on Paper
    • Historic Firearms and Militaria
    • Modern & Contemporary Art + Design
    • Modern Ceramics
  • Services
    • Request an Auction Estimate
    • Estates and Trusts
    • Private Treaty Sales
    • Museum, Historical Society and Institutional Sales
    • Appraisals and Evaluations
  • About Cowan’s
    • Contact / Locations
    • History

SERVICES

  • Request an Estimate
  • Estates and Trusts
  • Museums, Historical Societies, and Institutional Services
  • Appraisals and Evaluations

PRIVATE TREATY SALES

While a competitive, public auction is usually the best way to realize the greatest value for an item, there are times a private treaty sale may be appropriate. This is often when an item is of extremely high-value and there is only one appropriate buyer, such as a museum or a motivated collector who already owns the item’s “mate.” A private sale may also make sense if the seller wishes to sell the item in a short time or if confidentiality is essential.

Cowan’s uses our knowledge of the market and our relationships with top collectors, institutions and dealers to match great objects with appropriate buyers. Commissions for private sales vary according to the value and nature of the work.

Talk to our Specialists to discuss the option of selling privately.

In our Cincinnati Office:

Wes Cowan
info@cowans.com

Kirstie Craven
kcraven@cowans.com

Private Sales & Services

  • Cowan's Sells the American Tomahawk Descended in the Family of Meriwether Lewis

    Cowan's Sells the American Tomahawk Descended in the Family of Meriwether Lewis

Auctions

  • Upcoming Auctions
  • Past Auctions
  • Peek in the Warehouse

Buying

  • How to Bid
  • How to Pay and Ship?
  • New to Auctions?
  • Terms and Conditions

Selling

  • How to Consign
  • How Auctions Work
  • Request an Auction Estimate
  • Contact a Specialist

Departments

  • American History
  • American Indian Art
  • Decorative Arts
  • Fine Jewelry & Timepieces
  • Fine Paintings & Prints
  • Historic Firearms & Militaria
  • Modern Art & Design
  • Modern Ceramics

Services

  • Request an Estimate
  • Estates and Trusts
  • Museums, Historical Societies, and Institutional Services
  • Appraisals and Evaluations

About Cowan’s

  • Locations
  • History