Maquette Fine Art Services

What Maquette Fine Art Services does

Maquette Fine Art Services is a privately held specialty fine art logistics provider founded in 2011 by Jason Smith and Keith Stressler, headquartered in Long Island City, New York. The company operates four climate-controlled storage facilities across the northeastern United States — New York City (Long Island City flagship), Boston (Malden and Medford), Connecticut (Branford), and Washington DC (Forestville) — totaling 138,000+ square feet, alongside a fleet of 20 specialized vehicles. Maquette serves museums, galleries, private collectors, and corporate collections with museum-standard storage, custom crating, climate-controlled air-ride transportation, rigging and installation, and PMI-certified project management for collection relocations, having delivered 300+ museum relocations and 500+ museum-quality projects over its history.

The integrated service platform spans six core lines: fine art storage (open managed and private rooms with 24/7 climate and security monitoring), fine art transport (climate-controlled, GPS-tracked fleet with weekly NYC-Boston and NYC-DC shuttles), crating and packing (A-Style, B-Style, C-Style archival crates plus a reusable hybrid crating program), fine art installation and rigging (gantry lifts through full crane hoists), project management (PMI-certified team with 90+ combined years of experience), and facility services (shipping/receiving, TSA Certified Cargo Screening Facility screening, and viewing rooms). Underpinning operations is a custom-coded inventory software designed specifically for fine art logistics, tying storage programs and services into a unified system ensuring data and location accuracy. The Connecticut facility incorporates solar power integration and the company maintains FSC- and SFI-certified lumber sourcing for sustainability.

Maquette generates revenue through recurring monthly storage subscriptions (flat fee plus per-square-foot pricing with up to 4% annual escalation), project-based transportation and crating quotes, professional services for project management and relocations, viewing room rentals, and TSA cargo screening. The go-to-market is direct-sales led through dedicated regional account managers in New York, New England (Boston), and Washington DC who design storage solutions and coordinate services directly with client registrars and conservators. Distribution is exclusively direct, with no channel partners or resellers. The company differentiates on service culture ('MQT Principles' emphasizing beginner's mind and meritocracy), end-to-end in-house capabilities, sustainability credentials (OneTreePlanted partnership, reusable crating), and a founder-led operating model with no disclosed outside investment.

Name

Maquette Fine Art Services

Legal name

Maquette Fine Art Services, LLC

Website

https://maquettefas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Maquette Fine Art Services is a Northeast US specialty logistics provider offering climate-controlled art storage, custom crating, climate-controlled transport, installation/rigging, and PMI-certified project management for museums, galleries, private collectors, and corporate collections across four facilities totaling 138,000+ sq ft.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Art Logistics Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Item Full-Service Storage (Art, Antiques, Pianos, Wine) (HSAKAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fine Art Handling & Transport (HSAKAEAB), Fine Art Packing & Crating (HSAKADAE)

Keywords

• Fine art storage
• Art transportation
• Art installation rigging
• Custom art crating
• Museum relocation

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Island City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Storage Services: Monthly storage charges including flat fee plus square footage-based pricing. Facilities offer open managed storage and private rooms. Climate-controlled storage available at premium rates. Storage charges payable in advance monthly.
2. Transportation Services: Fine art transport using climate-controlled, air-ride suspension vehicles staffed with two technicians each. Weekly shuttle services between NYC-Boston and NYC-DC. Exclusive truck bookings available for any US destination.
3. Crating and Packing: Custom crate design and fabrication for domestic and international shipments. A-Style, B-Style, and C-Style crates available. Reusable crating program for institutional loans with rental options.
4. Project Management: Comprehensive project management for collection relocations including planning, budgeting, risk assessment, preventive conservation reviews, and training services. Both in-person and remote consulting available.
5. Installation and Rigging: Hands-on installation of all art forms including rigging services from simple gantry lifts to full crane hoists. Permits and paperwork obtained as part of service.
6. Viewing Room Rental: Large viewing rooms with 13' ceiling clearance, Pantrac lighting systems. Available for half-day and full-day rental with in-house art handling labor available upon request.
7. TSA Screening: Certified Cargo Screening Facility providing explosive trace detection and physical search capabilities for cargo volumes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maquette Fine Art Services provides end-to-end fine art logistics to museums, galleries, corporate collections, and high-net-worth collectors across the northeastern United States. Its offering encompasses climate-controlled art storage in four facilities totaling over 138,000 sq ft, specialized fine art transport via a 20-vehicle climate-controlled fleet, custom archival crating, museum-quality installation and rigging, and PMI-certified project management for collection relocations. Services are available a la carte or as integrated, single-provider solutions spanning storage through final installation.

Product overview

Maquette Fine Art Services operates as a multi-service fine art logistics provider organized around six interconnected core service lines. The core portfolio consists of Fine Art Storage (four climate-controlled facilities across New York City, Boston, Connecticut, and Washington DC), Fine Art Transport (specialized climate-controlled, GPS-tracked fleet with air-ride suspension and shuttle services), Crating and Packing (A-Style, B-Style, and C-Style custom archival crates plus a reusable crating program), Fine Art Installation and Rigging (museum-quality installation and crane/gantry rigging), Project Management (PMI-certified team managing museum relocations), and Facility Services (shipping/receiving, TSA screening, viewing rooms). These services are supported by a Green Initiative/Crating Sustainability Program combining reforestation, reusable crates, and eco-efficient transport. The New York flagship also serves as the hub for the company's Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF) and crate shop operations. Services are offered both à la carte and as an integrated end-to-end logistics solution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fine Art Storage Four-location fine art storage network across New York City, Boston, Connecticut, and Washington, DC offering full-climate open storage, private rooms, vault storage, 24/7 climate and security monitoring, custom-coded inventory software, and viewing rooms. Facilities are CCSF-certified and approved by major insurance providers.
• Fine Art Transport Fine art transportation using a fleet of specialized climate-controlled, air-ride suspension vehicles equipped with GPS tracking and staffed by two fine art technicians each. Services include local transport, exclusive-use truck bookings to any US destination, high-cube trucks for oversized artwork, and weekly scheduled shuttle service between NYC-Boston and NYC-DC.
• Crating and Packing Full spectrum of custom crating and packing options including A-Style (museum-quality archival), B-Style, and C-Style crates for various conservation and budgetary requirements. Includes custom-designed archival crates for domestic and international shipments, a reusable crating program for institutional loan programs (with rental options), specialized packing team services, and travel frame fabrication. Lumber sourced from FSC- and SFI-certified vendors.
• Fine Art Installation and Rigging Detail-oriented, hands-on installation of all art forms including framed photographs, paintings, multimedia works, and sculptures in private and public environments. Full range of rigging options from simple gantry lifts to full crane hoists, including permit acquisition and planning coordination as part of the service.
• Project Management PMI-certified project management services led by a team with 90+ years of combined experience managing 300+ museum and institutional collection relocations and 500+ museum-quality projects. Services include project planning, budget planning and reviews, storage review/design/planning, risk assessment, preventive conservation reviews, and training and art-handling emergency response reviews, with both in-person and remote consulting available.
• Facility Services Supportive facility services including shipping and receiving with loading docks accommodating up to 53-foot trailers, heavy lifting machinery, Dockmaster staffing, TSA screening as a Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF) with Explosive Trace Detection capability, and viewing rooms with Pantrac lighting systems and 13-foot ceiling clearance available for half-day and full-day rental with in-house art handling labor upon request.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reusable crates designed for 8-15 years of use, reducing single-use waste
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• OneTreePlantedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit reforestation partnership where a tree is planted for every crate constructed and every service booked. This partnership is a cornerstone of Maquette's carbon offset strategy and environmental sustainability commitment. The partnership extends across all invoiced services including crating, trucking, packing, and storage.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)supportingOthersSourcing lumber from FSC-certified vendors ensures responsible forest management and preservation of vital ecosystems. Part of Maquette's commitment to sustainable crating materials.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)supportingOthersSourcing lumber from SFI-certified vendors as part of commitment to responsible forestry. Combined with FSC certification, ensures comprehensive sustainable lumber sourcing.
• DGA SecuritycoreOthersUL/AA Central Station-rated security system provider. DGA installs and monitors comprehensive security infrastructure including sensors, cameras, and alarm systems across all facilities. Provides monthly access reports and emergency notification services.
• AFA Protective SystemscoreOthersFire protection systems provider monitoring fire systems at all facilities. Systems are tied to central station alarm and installed according to UL standards.
• Materials for the ArtsminorOthersNew York City organization that distributes materials and supplies to public schools. Maquette supports through recycling and materials donation programs.
• Pantrac Lighting SystemssupportingOthersLighting systems installed in viewing rooms at NYC facility, adjustable to client lighting preferences for artwork exhibitions and photography documentation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Crozier Fine Arts: Crozier Fine Arts is the largest US-based fine art logistics operator, providing climate-controlled storage, art transport, installation, and project management across major US cities. Directly comparable end-to-end service model focused on museums, galleries, and private collectors, though with greater national scale and PE-backed growth.
• Cadogan Tate: Cadogan Tate is a long-established British fine art logistics firm with significant NYC presence, offering fine art shipping, storage, installation, and conservation-adjacent services. Directly comparable specialty art logistics services for museums, galleries, and collectors with comparable climate-controlled storage operations.
• Masterpiece International: Masterpiece International is a New York-based fine art logistics company offering art storage, crating, climate-controlled transport, and installation services for museums, galleries, collectors, and auction houses. Directly competitive in the NYC market with overlap on core service lines Maquette offers.
• U.S. Art Company: U.S. Art Company provides specialized fine art storage, crating, and transportation services for museums, galleries, and private collectors across multiple US locations. Directly comparable service mix including art storage facilities and museum-grade handling.
• Dietl International Services: Dietl International is a long-standing NYC-based fine art logistics and storage provider serving major museums, galleries, and private collections with comparable climate-controlled storage and art handling services. Direct overlap in the Northeast institutional market.
• Atelier 4: Atelier 4 is a New York-based fine art storage, installation, and art handling company serving galleries and private collectors with services overlapping Maquette's storage and installation offerings. Directly competitive in the NYC high-end storage market.
• Bumbel Art Logistics: Bumbel is a New Jersey/NY-area fine art storage and logistics provider focused on climate-controlled warehousing, art transport, and installation for private collectors and galleries. Direct regional competitor in fine art storage and logistics.
• Royal Art Group: Royal Art Group provides fine art storage, transportation, installation, and collection management services nationwide. Comparable full-service art logistics provider with overlapping customer segments in museums, galleries, and private collections.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/maquettefas
• Xx.com/maquettefas
• Facebookfacebook.com/mqtfas

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maquette Fine Art Services