Your collection deserves
independent counsel.
Independent counsel for private collectors, estates, and institutions — beginning with an honest accounting of what you already own. No dealer ties. No transaction fees. No agenda beyond yours.
Most advisors tell you what to buy next.
We start by understanding what you already own.
Why Mason West
Audit-First, Always
Every engagement begins with an independent review of what you own — provenance, condition, market value, documentation gaps. No assumptions, no guessing. Most advisors skip this. We require it.
Zero Conflicts of Interest
We earn fees from clients. Not dealers. Not auction houses. Not galleries. Our advice will never be shaped by what someone else is trying to sell you. That independence is the whole point.
Every Category. One Firm.
Fine art. Watches. Wine. Automobiles. Jewelry. Rare books. Most advisors stop at paintings. We advise across all twelve categories under one roof — because serious collectors rarely stop at one.
Who We Serve
Built for collectors and
the people who advise them.
Private Collectors
You’ve spent years building something meaningful. You deserve to know exactly what you have — its provenance, its current value, and what it would take to protect or pass it on. That’s where we start.
Estate & Trust Attorneys
Art and collectibles are among the most complex assets to move through an estate — and the most commonly underdocumented. We provide independent valuations and disposition guidance your clients can rely on, in court and out of it.
Wealth Managers
Your client’s portfolio is complete on paper — but their collection sits outside it, unvalued and undocumented. We integrate with your team to close that gap, so tangible assets are treated with the same rigor as everything else.
Collectors Just Starting Out
You have the means, and the instinct — but not yet a framework. We work with new collectors to build an intentional foundation from the beginning, so your first decade of collecting doesn’t require a decade of correction.
Art Insurance Brokers
Accurate valuations are the foundation of every collection schedule — and gaps in documentation are where disputes begin. We provide the independent, defensible reports your underwriters require, and we stand behind them.
Family Offices & Foundations
Collections held across generations require governance, not just storage. We provide the structure, documentation, and institutional-grade oversight that ensures a collection survives the transition — and retains its meaning.
Advisory Services
Structured for every
stage of collecting.
Mason West engagements are structured as annual retainers — not one-time transactions. The relationship deepens over time, and so does our understanding of your collection.
Tier I
Foundation
From $15,000 annually
For collectors who have built something real and are ready to understand it properly. The Foundation engagement brings order, documentation, and clarity to a collection that has grown beyond informal tracking.
- Full collection audit (up to 50 items)
- Provenance & condition documentation
- Insurance valuation alignment
- Annual advisory review & update
Tier II
Core
From $30,000 annually
For collectors who are actively acquiring, navigating multiple categories, and beginning to think about what the collection means beyond the walls it occupies — estate, legacy, and long-term strategy.
- Comprehensive audit, unlimited items
- Acquisition due diligence on new purchases
- Disposition strategy & market timing
- Quarterly advisory reviews
- Estate & trust attorney coordination
Tier III
Premier
From $50,000 annually
For clients whose collection demands more than documentation — active dealer relationships to manage, auction activity to navigate, and strategic decisions that require a trusted representative in the room.
- Full Core advisory scope
- Dedicated advisory team
- Dealer & auction house negotiation
- Art lending & collateralization advisory
- Exhibition, loan & consignment management
Tier IV
Institutional
From $100,000 annually
For family offices, foundations, and organizations where the collection carries governance obligations — board reporting, generational transfer, philanthropic strategy, and legal coordination across jurisdictions.
- Full Premier advisory scope
- Board, trustee & fiduciary reporting
- Multi-generational transfer planning
- Deaccession, gift & donation strategy
- Tax, legal & compliance coordination
How an Engagement Works
From first conversation
to ongoing counsel.
Introductory Call
A 30-minute conversation with Kelvin — no agenda beyond understanding your collection, your goals, and whether Mason West is the right fit. There is no sales process.
Collection Assessment
Every engagement begins with a formal audit of what you own — inventory, provenance, condition, and current market value. You receive a written Collection Report. This is the foundation everything else is built on.
Advisory Proposal
Based on the assessment findings, we recommend the retainer tier that fits your collection’s complexity and your goals. No upselling. The right level is whatever genuinely serves you.
Ongoing Counsel
The retainer begins. We become an ongoing resource — for acquisitions, dispositions, insurance questions, estate conversations, and any decision where your collection is involved. The relationship compounds in value over time.
Collection categories we advise
The Collection Assessment
Every engagement
begins with clarity.
Most collectors don’t have an accurate picture of what they own. The Collection Assessment changes that — building the foundation document every serious collection deserves.
Intake & Inventory
A complete catalog of every item in your collection — location, condition, category, and existing documentation. No assumptions.
Provenance Review
We trace ownership history, verify authenticity documentation, and flag items requiring further specialist verification.
Market Valuation
Current fair market value for each item — aligned with insurance, estate, and potential sale purposes.
Strategic Report
A comprehensive Collection Report with valuations, risk flags, insurance gaps, and a prioritized advisory roadmap.
Assessment Pricing
The right starting
point for any collector.
Assessment fees are based on collection size and complexity. Retainer clients receive ongoing assessments as part of their engagement.
Where We Work
Five markets.
One standard.
Washington
DC · Headquarters
Where America’s relationship with art, history, and cultural heritage is institutionally anchored — the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress. This is where Mason West is based, and it shapes how we approach every engagement: collections are records worth protecting, not just assets worth managing.
Miami
+ Palm Beach
The convergence of international wealth, Latin American collectors, and Art Basel Miami Beach has made South Florida one of the most consequential collecting markets in the world. We serve clients navigating it year-round — with the independence a market this transactional rarely offers.
New York
Tri-State Area
Every serious collector passes through New York eventually. We’re here to make sure they do it with clear eyes — independent counsel in a market where the auction houses, the galleries, and most advisors all have something to sell.
Atlanta
Southeast
Some of the most intentional, culturally significant collecting in the country is happening here right now — driven by a new generation building with real conviction. The independent advisory infrastructure to support them has been slow to arrive. Mason West is part of that shift.
Dallas
Texas + Southwest
Multi-generational private wealth, a world-class museum culture, and a collector community that has always had to leave Texas to find serious independent counsel. The wealth is here. The collections are here. The advisory should be too.
The Firm
“Most people don’t know what they actually own. Our job is to fix that.”
Mason West Collection Advisory was founded on a premise that should be obvious but rarely is: the people who own the most significant collections in America deserve independent, unconflicted counsel — the same standard they apply to their financial portfolios, their legal affairs, and every other major asset in their lives.
We don’t source. We don’t sell. We don’t broker. We don’t earn commissions on what you buy or what you let go. We work for one party in every engagement — you — and that single-minded focus is what makes the advice worth having.
Kelvin Bussie
Founder & Principal Advisor
5
Markets Served
12+
Collection Categories
100%
Fee-Only. No Commissions.
4
Service Tiers, One Standard
Begin
Start with a
conversation.
Every Mason West engagement begins the same way — a quiet conversation, no agenda beyond understanding your collection and whether we’re the right fit. There is no sales process.
All inquiries are held in strict confidence · info@masonwestadvisory.com