Upton Studios

What Upton Studios does

Upton Studios LLC is a privately-held conservation and restoration firm founded in 1999 and headquartered in Milmay, New Jersey, with a gallery presence in Washington, D.C. The firm specializes in the conservation, finish recovery, and restoration of historic metalwork and 18th-19th Century lighting devices, employing techniques identical or similar to those used in the 19th Century and supported by an in-house professional metallurgist and a partnership with a chemical and metallurgical facility. The studio refuses to refinish purely for aesthetics, refuses work on devices produced after 1930, and applies only finishes consistent with historic parameters sealed with archival-quality lacquer.

The firm's revenue is generated through professional services engagements spanning consultation, restoration, repairs, custom-built internal parts, external parts in multiple finishes, glassware services, and custom reproductions. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with consultation billed separately plus client-paid travel expenses. The go-to-market is direct: the firm is a Licensed CCR Vendor with the Federal Government, enabling procurement by federal agencies such as GSA, the National Park Service, and the State Department, with additional work for presidential centers, museums, and select private historic properties. Notable engagements include the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (GSA, 2009-2017), Spiegel Grove at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center (2008-2010), Blair House, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, the U.S. Treasury Building, and the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum. The firm operates with 1-10 employees and no external investment, with ownership held by co-founders Vivian Diane Upton-Hagan and Daniel W. Mattausch.

Name

Upton Studios

Legal name

Upton Studios LLC

Website

https://uptonstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upton Studios LLC is a privately-held conservation and restoration firm specializing in historic metals and 18th-19th Century lighting, serving federal agencies (GSA, NPS, State Department), presidential centers, and select private historic properties across the U.S. Northeast and Washington, D.C.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Conservation and Restoration Services

NAICS

Appliance Repair and Maintenance (811412), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Home Renovation & Preservation (HSAPAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archival Preservation & Conservation (Handling, Storage, Environmental Controls) (MPADAMAF), Cabinet Painting & Refinishing (HSAGADAC)

Keywords

• Historic metal conservation
• Lighting restoration services
• Artifact preservation
• Ornamental metalwork
• Period finish recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Milmay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Conservation and Restoration Services: Professional conservation and restoration services for historic metalwork and lighting devices. Services include finish recovery, metal stabilization, solder repairs, and complete restoration of ornamental artifacts. Internal parts are provided only as part of full restoration projects.
2. Consultation Services: On-site professional technical consultations for home restorations, house museums, and other historic preservation projects. Consultation fees are charged separately with travel expenses borne by the client.
3. Reproductions: Custom reproduction of historic lighting parts and devices. Estimates provided upon request for reproduction work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Upton Studios LLC provides conservation, recovery, and restoration of original finishes on 19th century lighting devices and ornamental metalwork for federal agencies, presidential centers, museums, and private historic properties. Services include on-site technical consultations, finish recovery and stabilization, solder repairs, custom internal and external parts fabrication, glassware pattern cutting, and full reproduction of historic lighting components. The firm will not address lighting devices produced after 1930 and refuses to disturb original finishes purely for aesthetics.

Product overview

Upton Studios LLC is a conservation and restoration firm specializing in metals and historic lighting. The company offers a unified set of conservation services centered on preserving and restoring historic lighting devices and metalwork from the 18th and 19th centuries. Services include Consultation, Glassware, Reproductions, Finishes, External Parts, Repairs, and Internal Parts. The company does not disturb finishes purely for aesthetics, instead conserving and documenting original finishes where possible, stabilizing metals from corrosion, and restoring appearance while maintaining historic parameters. The studio works with a chemical and metallurgical facility and will not address lighting devices produced after 1930.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consultation Services On-site professional technical consultations for home restorations, house museums, and other historic preservation projects. A consultation fee is charged, with travel expenses borne by the client. Targeted at historic property owners, house museum curators, and preservation project managers.
• Glassware Services Custom cut pattern designs for glassware fitters that can be cut down to accommodate variations in Parker Burner sizes, used to replace broken pairs. Offered to designers, architects, and owners of historic lighting devices.
• Reproductions Custom reproduction services for historic lighting parts and devices, with estimates provided upon request. Used by collectors, museums, and historic property owners needing period-accurate replacement components.
• Finishes Services Conservation, recovery, and restoration of finishes for 19th century lighting devices, including documentation, preservation, and recovery of original finishes using techniques identical or similar to 19th century methods. All processes are reversible and finishes are sealed with archival quality lacquer containing a corrosion inhibitor.
• External Parts Replacement external parts available in Bronze, Satin (faux ormolu), Copper, Faux Gold, and Clear finishes. Provided as part of restoration projects for historic lighting devices.
• Repairs Repair services for historic lighting devices including soldering loosened or sagging Argand arms with finish repair or replacement, repair of holes drilled in bases, and cleaning of breaks and cracked spinnings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 fixtures and lighting devices conserved for Spiegel Grove presidential estate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Chemical and Metallurgical Facility PartnershipcoreTechnology or IntegrationUpton Studios LLC works closely with a chemical and metallurgical facility for specialized analysis and testing support in their conservation work. This partnership provides metallurgical expertise and chemical analysis capabilities that complement the studio's restoration expertise.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Jablonski Building Conservation: Specialist in architectural conservation and restoration of historic interiors and decorative surfaces, including metalwork and ornamental finishes. Closely comparable in scale, craft specialization, and federal/institutional client base.
• EverGreene Architectural Arts: New York–based firm specializing in architectural conservation, restoration, and decorative finishes for historic interiors, including work on national landmarks. Directly comparable to Upton Studios in delivering high-craft preservation services to institutional and government clients.
• John Canning & Co. Historic interiors conservation and restoration firm with deep expertise in period-appropriate finishes, decorative schemes, and architectural ornament. Comparable to Upton Studios in serving landmark buildings with bespoke, scholarship-driven conservation work.
• Historical Arts & Casting: Specializes in historic metalwork restoration and reproduction, including lighting and ornamental bronze work for landmark buildings. Directly comparable niche focus on historic metalwork/lighting with federal and institutional clients.
• Building Conservation Associates: New York preservation consulting firm providing conservation planning, materials analysis, and treatment services for historic sites. Comparable to Upton Studios in delivering scientific, craft-driven preservation services to institutional and government clients.

Broad incumbents

• Consigli Construction: Large regional construction manager with a dedicated historic restoration division serving federal and institutional owners in the Northeast. Comparable federal-client access but operates as a general contractor rather than a specialty conservator.
• Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE): Large, established engineering and architecture firm with a major preservation practice serving federal, institutional, and commercial clients. Comparable as a federal-preservation competitor but operates at significantly greater scale and broader scope than Upton Studios' metals/lighting specialty.

Others

• Cathedral Stoneworks: Historic masonry and stone conservation firm serving institutional and government clients. Adjacent rather than directly competing — same preservation-services customer base but different material specialty.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upton-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Upton Studios