Leslie Hindman opened her auction house in Chicago in 1982. Within a few years, it became the largest auction house in the Midwest, and one of the largest in the U.S. In 1997, Ms. Hindman sold the house to Sotheby's, and "retired" to host a television program for HGTV and write a column for the Chicago Tribune. In time, Sotheby's shut down the Midwestern auction and Ms. Hindman missed the business, so in 2003, she reopened Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago.

Since the reopening, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers has again grown to be a major force in the middle of the country. However, today with online and telephone bidding, the majority of its sales are made to buyers outside of the house's geographic area, including many overseas customers. The firm specializes in art, furniture, jewelry, and, naturally, books and manuscripts. In 2010, the auction expanded by opening a second location in Naples, Florida.     Now doing business as Hindman Auctions