Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC

What Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC does

Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC (SAFA) is a New York-based, founder-owned professional services firm founded in 2007 by Dr. Jennifer L. Mass to provide objective scientific material assessment for the fine art market. The firm combines state-of-the-art microscale analytical techniques with museum-level art historical expertise to deliver authentication, attribution, and state-of-preservation analysis for paintings, works on paper, folk art, antiquities, ceramics, metalwork, and decorative arts. Its client base spans tier-1 museums (Barnes Foundation, Phillips Collection, Rijksmuseum, Munch Museet, The Met, Art Institute of Chicago), major auction houses (Christie's, Sotheby's, Freeman's, Skinner, Heritage Auctions), government bodies (National Park Service, Arlington National Cemetery), academic institutions, family offices, art lawyers, insurers, and private collectors across the US and Europe.

The firm's analytical platform centers on non-destructive and micro-destructive instrumentation including X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), SEM-EDS, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray microdiffraction, GC-MS, pyGC-MS, XANES, confocal XRF, synchrotron X-ray intensity mapping, hyperspectral/multispectral imaging, and Fiber Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS). Dr. Adam Finnefrock (VP) developed novel synchrotron-based methods for analyzing paintings and builds custom X-ray and visible-light spectrometers with proprietary software for specialized projects. Dr. Satoko Tanimoto (Senior Research Scientist) brings expertise in Raman spectroscopy and FTIR imaging developed at the British Museum and Imperial College London. Findings are compared against an internal reference library of technical art history literature and chemical databases indexed by dates of introduction of artists' materials to produce defendable attribution and dating conclusions.

SAFA generates revenue through professional services engagements priced on a quote basis per project scope and technique mix. Service lines include authentication and attribution, technical art history consulting, expert witness and legal consultation for art law disputes, and insurance/loss assessment. Distribution is sales-led with enterprise field engagement: the firm conducts onsite analysis at client sites (including rapid-turnaround auction house previews) and accepts works for in-depth facility-based examination. New business is generated through scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals, conference lectures, academic teaching at Bard Graduate Center and Sotheby's/Christie's MA programs, earned media coverage, and the firm's role on the TEFAF New York scientific vetting team.

Name

Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC

Legal name

Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC

Website

https://scienceforfineart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scientific Analysis of Fine Art provides scientific authentication, attribution, and preservation analysis for fine art using XRF, synchrotron imaging, and spectroscopy, serving museums, auction houses, collectors, and legal clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Art Authentication and Attribution Services: Professional scientific analysis services for determining authenticity, attribution, and state of preservation of artworks. Services include pigment analysis, technical imaging, materials characterization, and comparison to technical art history literature. Pricing based on project scope, techniques used, and turnaround requirements.
2. Technical Art History Consulting: Expert consultation and research services for museums, auction houses, and collectors including condition assessments and documentation
3. Expert Witness and Legal Consultation: Expert testimony and forensic analysis services for art law cases including attribution disputes, provenance questions, insurance disputes, and title disputes
4. Insurance and Loss Assessment: Analysis services for insurers and loss adjusters to assess changes in condition, inherent vice, and appropriate conservation treatments

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC (SAFA) provides scientific analysis services for the authentication, attribution, and state-of-preservation assessment of works of art. It applies state-of-the-art microscale analytical techniques — including X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, FTIR, Raman, synchrotron X-ray methods, and hyperspectral imaging — combined with 20 years of museum experience and an extensive technical art history reference library to deliver independent, defensible scientific findings.

Product overview

SAFA provides scientific analysis services for fine art authentication, attribution, and state of preservation assessment. The company offers a unified service combining cutting-edge scientific techniques with 20 years of museum experience. Services include scientific techniques (XRF, SEM-EDS, FTIR, Raman, XRD, GC-MS, synchrotron imaging, hyperspectral imaging) applied to paintings, folk art, antiquities, antique furniture, murals, metalwork, ceramics, photographs, and painted surfaces. Client-specific services are tailored for collectors, art lawyers, auction houses, museums, insurers, contemporary artists, appraisers, family offices, and art galleries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Authentication and Attribution Services
• Microscale Analytical Techniques
• Collector Services
• Art Lawyer Services
• Auction House Services
• Museum Services
• Insurer Services
• Contemporary Artist Services
• Art Appraiser Services
• Family Office Services
• Art Gallery Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Discovery of buried portrait beneath Picasso's The Blue Room (1901) at Phillips Collection
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers29 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Leila Amineddoleh (Amineddoleh and Associates)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Leila Amineddoleh of Amineddoleh and Associates for art law and forensic science educational initiatives, including a program for the Harvard Business School Alumni Association. Collaborative work on art law and forensic science educational programming.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• McCrone Research Institute: Chicago-based institute specializing in microscopy and microanalysis of art, forensic evidence, and historic materials. Directly comparable on instrumentation (polarized light microscopy, electron microprobe) and on serving as an independent authority on authentication and forgery.
• Art Analysis & Research: London-based independent firm providing scientific analysis, authentication and provenance research for paintings and works of art using similar XRF, FTIR, Raman and imaging techniques. Closest direct competitor in the English-speaking market.

Broad incumbents

• C2RMF (Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France): French national museum research and restoration laboratory performing scientific imaging, pigment analysis, and authentication for Louvre and other national collections. Comparable on advanced instrumentation and museum client base; differs as a state-funded in-house resource.
• Getty Conservation Institute: In-house research arm of the Getty Trust performing scientific analysis of artworks and training conservation scientists. Overlaps with SAFA on technique development and pigment degradation research but is in-house and broader in scope (preventive conservation, structural materials).
• Harvard Art Museums — Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies: Academic conservation science center using XRF, FTIR, Raman and imaging to study Harvard's collections and train conservators. Comparable on scientific instrumentation and on cross-institution collaboration; differs as a university-affiliated in-house lab.
• National Gallery of Art (Washington) — Conservation Division: Conservation and scientific research department of the NGA performing technical imaging, pigment analysis, and conservation on a major American collection. Comparable on advanced instrumentation and museum-client focus; differs as an in-house federal-museum resource.
• Doerner Institut: Munich-based research institute affiliated with the Bavarian State Painting Collections providing scientific analysis of paintings, conservation research, and pigment databases. Comparable on technique and on serving major museum collections across Europe.
• Rijksmuseum Conservation & Scientific Research: Scientific research department of the Rijksmuseum providing materials analysis, imaging, and authentication support for the national collection. Comparable on synchrotron/XRF/imaging techniques and on serving as an authoritative voice on attribution; differs as an in-house museum resource.

Emerging players

• Winterthur Museum / University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation: Joint academic program training conservators and conducting technical analysis of decorative arts, textiles, and paintings. Comparable on technical art history research and on producing alumni placed at museums; differs as an educational rather than commercial practice.
• NYU Institute of Fine Arts Conservation Center: NYU-affiliated conservation center providing scientific examination of artworks and training for future conservators. Comparable on scientific methods and New York art-world clientele; differs as an academic in-house resource rather than independent commercial firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scientific-analysis-of-fine-art-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC