About Sherlock

Who is Sherlock Cohn?

Ava Cohn, aka Sherlock Cohn, The Photo Genealogist, is an  internationally-known professional genealogist who specializes in the dating, identification, and interpretation of  family photographs and portraits.  Working with professional genealogists as well as those interested in learning more about their family history, she uses a multidisciplinary approach that combines knowledge of immigrant and European cultures and traditions along with research-based fashion, family histories and vital records to tell the background stories within our heirloom photographs.

Ava has a degree from Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, with studies in decorative arts, art history, and costume history at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England.   She is a popular speaker and writer whose articles have appeared in numerous genealogy publications.  On her article in the Fall 2010 issue of Avotaynu, The International Journal of Jewish Genealogy, publisher Gary Mokotoff wrote, “ I had always been cool to the idea that this aspect of family history research had much significance, but after reading the article, I became a convert.” Editor Sallyann Amdur-Sack Pikus, called it “a stunning tour-de-force.”

Ava maintains an extensive library of primary and secondary-source fashion, furniture, military uniform and history references. Her personal family history locales include Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Romania and the Austrian Empire.

You can reach Sherlock Cohn, The Photo Genealogist, at Sherlock.cohn@comcast.net