Person of the Week: Leigh Keno

If you’re a fan of Antiques Roadshow, you, no doubt, know who Leigh Keno is. Leigh and his twin brother, Leslie, appraise furniture on the popular PBS show. Leigh Keno is also the president of Manhattan-based Keno Auctions, and over the past twenty-five years has assisted in compiling the most prestigious collections of antique furniture, paintings and the decorative arts in the world.


With a B.A. in Art History from Hamilton College, Leigh Keno was a graduate fellow at Historic Deerfield, and held the position of visiting scholar at the Winterthur Museum. Among his many accomplishments, Leigh also worked as the Director of the American Furniture Department at Doyle Galleries in New York and served as Vice President of Appraisals and Specialist in the American Furniture Department at Christie’s Auction House.

While known to most audiences through his work with Leslie on Antiques Roadshow and their own PBS program, Find!, Leigh Keno is also the co-author of a book on the subject of antiques and furniture and contributes, with Leslie, to several major magazines.

In 2005, President Bush awarded both Leigh and Leslie Keno the prestigious National Humanities Medal for their triumphs in the field of historic preservation. Leigh’s passion for antiques is thoroughly evident in his appearances on Antiques Roadshow. His excitement is palpable as he studies a piece of furniture. Leigh and his brother have contributed greatly to making sure that future generations will have the opportunity to learn design at the hands of masters. For that, we owe both Keno brothers our gratitude.