Got a leviathan of your own?
Sell it at
Whaleworx.
Snap a few photos on your phone. We clean them up, stage the piece in the hold, write the listing, answer the questions and put it on the block. You keep the lion’s share of the catch; we keep the stories.
Your photo
In the hold
Drag to see the glow-up. Lot 076, shot on a phone, lowered into the hold and staged by us.
How much of the catch would you keep?
Our cut is 15 to 20 percent of the final price, and it only comes out if your piece actually sells. No listing fees, no photo fees, no storage fees while it’s on the block. A fairer split than any crew that ever shipped out of Nantucket, and we checked.
You can also set a minimum. If bidding doesn’t reach it, the piece doesn’t sell, you owe us nothing, and nobody is left adrift.
An example only. The exact percentage is set per piece, and we’ll agree it with you before anything is listed.
The kind of catch we love
Medium-value, one-of-one, a little strange. If it made you stop and look twice at an estate sale, it probably belongs in the hold. The photos are pieces already aboard; the prices are made-up examples to show the math.
Toy soldiersThe tin from the basement
Your grandfather’s regiment, still in formation and still not taking orders. We shoot them as a muster and film them marching.
Paintings & printsThe painting nobody claimed
Clearing out a house and there’s a canvas no one in the family wants. Somebody out there does, and they’re already sharpening their bid.
Lamps & glassThe light that doesn’t fit
A chandelier or lamp that was perfect in the old place and wrong in the new one. Every cabin needs a lantern.
Posters & paperThe gig posters in the closet
Show posters, prints and paper ephemera from nights you half remember. Flat, rolled or framed, like a good chart.
Design piecesThe design piece you’re over
A clock, a chair-sized sculpture, a label you recognize. Good design deserves a second voyage.
OdditiesThe thing you can’t explain
Nobody knows where it came from or what it’s for. That is exactly why someone will bid on it. Mystery is half the cargo.
From your table to the auction block
Snap it
Up to six photos from your phone: the front, the back, any signature, label or damage. Good light helps, but we do the swabbing.
We draft the listing
Our assistant looks at your cover photo and suggests a title and description. Change anything you like.
Name your price
Tell us what you’re hoping for, or tick “suggest a price” and we’ll come back with one. We agree the cut and any minimum before listing.
Hand it off
Bring it to our South Loop loading dock or meet us on the street out front. We’ll set the time together. No rowing involved; the Dan Ryan will do.
Into the hold
We shoot it properly, stage it in the hold and put it on the block with the rest of the catch. Bidding runs seven days from the first bid.
It sells, you get paid
When the winner pays, you get your 80–85% of the catch. We sort out payment details with you then, never on the form.
What we take aboard, what we leave on the dock
A rough guide, not maritime law. If you’re not sure, send the photos and ask.
Yes, please
- Paintings, prints & drawings
- Toy soldiers & figures
- Lamps, glass & vessels
- Sculpture & carvings
- Posters & paper ephemera
- Signs & salvage
- Design & mid-century pieces
- Curiosities of every kind
Probably not
- Anything that isn’t yours to sell
- Fakes & reproductions sold as originals
- Weapons & hazardous materials
- Clothing & mattresses
- Big furniture (ask first)
- Mass-produced, low-value items
Good questions from good folks, answered honestly
What does it cost to sell?
Nothing up front. We take 15–20% of the final price, and only when your piece sells. We’ll agree the exact number with you before it’s listed.
Who decides the price?
You do, with our help. Give us an asking price or let us suggest one. Every piece goes up for bidding, and you can set a minimum it won’t sell below.
What if it doesn’t sell?
Then you don’t pay anything. We’ll agree up front what happens next: relist it, adjust the price, or hand it back to you.
How do I get paid?
Once the buyer has paid, we pay you your share. We set up payment details with you directly at that point. We never ask for banking information on the submission form.
Where do I drop it off?
At our loading dock in the South Loop, or we meet you on the street out front. If you’re not sure yet, pick “sort it out later” and we’ll work it out together.
Can I sell a whole collection?
Yes. Send one piece per submission so each gets its own listing, or send the best one and tell us about the rest in the description.
Do you only take things from Chicago?
We’re set up for Chicago and the surrounding towns, since pieces come through our South Loop dock. Further away? Ask, and we’ll see what we can do.
Send us your leviathan
Photos first, details second. It takes about two minutes, less if the wind is with you.
Got something weird of your own?
Consign it with us.
Add photos, tell us a little about the piece, and we'll do the rest: clean up the pictures, stage it in the hold, list it and sell it for you. Our cut is 15–20%, only when it sells.
Submissions open soon.
We're putting the last touches on the consignment desk. Tell us you're interested and we'll let you know the moment it opens.
Preview mode: only shop managers can see this form. Visitors still see “coming soon”. Test submissions create real draft products and send real emails.
It's in the hold.
Reference . We'll look at it and email you within a few days with the price we'd list it at and our cut. Nothing goes live until you say yes.
Weird things for good folks.
