How to Phone Bid with Cowan’s

Bid by telephone with a Cowan’s representative, who is present at the auction to relay bids to the auctioneer on your behalf.

A representative will call you 4-6 lots in advance and will bid live on your behalf. As the bidding proceeds, your representative will tell you the amount you must bid to stay in the running. Simply say “yes” or “no.”

We sell 80-100 lots per hour, but plan to be at your phone a half hour before the estimated time your lot will be sold. Please understand we cannot reach you if your phone has a caller block, the number is incorrect, the line is busy or there is no answer.

By registering to bid by phone, you agree to bid at least one half of the low estimate for each lot you are signed up for.

How It Works

First, make sure you are logged into your My Cowan’s Account. If you are unsure how to do that, instructions can be found HERE.

Step 1: Select “View Lots” for the auction you wish to bid in.

Step 2: Find the lot you’d like to bid on and click the “Bid by Phone” link.

Step 3: Enter in your phone number and a backup number if you think it’s possible your main number will be unavailable during the auction. We also suggest leaving an Insurance Bid. In the event that we are unable to reach you when you lot comes up, a Cowan’s representative will bid on your behalf up until that amount. Once you have entered all your information, click “Register Phone Bid.”

Step 4: You’re all set! Note that the lot you registered for now says “Edit Phone Bid.” This link will allow you to change your phone number and insurance bid up until a half hour before the auction.

Other Bidding Options