Our Story

Knowa (pronounced "no uh") is a new brand with a story as intriguing as the objects we create. Our name pays homage to a man named Hansel Knowa Taylor who was the grandfather of our founder. Knowa was a start-up engineer who traveled the globe finding locations for some of the largest corporations in the world. In his travels he would find unusual trinkets and mail them back to his grandson in Tennessee. These treasures sparked a fire in the young boy, igniting a lifelong passion for the rare, the unusual, the awesome. Now, Knowa honors the legacy of our namesake by bringing a unique brand of awesomeness to the world of collectibles. Our pieces cover a vast array of themes and take on myriad forms, but every single one is a work of art. We put our heart and soul into every object, carefully crafting each with an eye for the spectacular. At Knowa, everything we do is for the collector. We are proud to share our story with you and invite you to join us on this journey of discovery and delight. Welcome to Knowa — where collecting meets pure awesomeness.

Our History

Our story begins with Jon R. Warren, who turned his passion for collecting into a business while still a teenager in the 1970s. With $400 borrowed from a local coin shop owner (who knew him as a regular customer and saw something special in the young man) Jon built a successful business in antiques and collectibles. As business grew, he expanded into publishing books and price guides for fellow collectors. But Jon was never one to rest on his laurels — he had a vision for something new and unique. In the late 1990s, he registered Knowa.com as a web domain and started trading on eBay under this name. Over time, Jon's dream of creating a collectibles brand unlike any other began to come into focus. With bespoke designs and imaginative products, his vision for a new kind of collecting took shape. The Knowa team worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo and push the collectibles envelope. And now, after years of research and hard work, Knowa has emerged as a new brand of innovation and creativity in the world of art and collectibles. While we may be new to the scene, our dedication and passion for the extraordinary is unrivaled. Join us as we continue to push the limits of what it means to be a collector — the Knowa journey is just beginning.