Sears Modern Homes 1913

Reproduced from a rare edition, this book features 112 designs for homes of "comfort and refinement," with external views, floor plans, and other details. 400 illustrations.

Sixty eight Sears-designed homes display handsome exterior and interior views — with vestibules, breakfast alcoves, massive chimneys, unusual roof lines, and other attractive features. Over 200 black-and-white illustrations.

"Facsimile reproduction of the Sears modern home catalog"--Introd.

History of Sears Kit Homes with info on how to find and identify these old kit homes. Alson includes photos, graphics, diagrams and oral histories from workers at the Sears Mill and people who built their own Sears Home. Also history on Richard W. Sears and Alvah Roebuck; history on Sears and Roebuck, Co.

It was the American Dream by Mail Order --Smithsonian Americans have ordered from Sears, Roebuck just about everything they have needed for their homes for 100 years--but from 1908 to 1940, some 100,000 people also purchased their houses from this mail-order wizard. Sears ready-to-assemble houses were ordered by mail and shipped by rail wherever a boxcar or two could pull in to unload the meticulously precut lumber and all the materials needed to build an exceptionally sturdy and well-designed house. From Philadelphia, Pa., to Coldwater, Kans., and Cowley, Wyo., Sears put its guarantee on quality bungalows, colonials and Cape Cods, all with the latest modern conveniences--such as indoor plumbing. Houses by Mail tells the story of these precut houses and provides for the first time an incomparable guide to identifying Sears houses across the country. Arranged for easy identification in 15 sections by roof type, the book features nearly 450 house models with more than 800 illustrations, including drawings of the houses and floor plans. Because the Sears houses were built to last, thousands remain today to be discovered and restored. Houses by Mail shows how to return them to their original charm while it documents a highly successful business enterprise that embodied the spirit and domestic design of its time. "After decades of obscurity, Sears houses have become chic." --Wall Street Journal "These were . spacious, solidly built homes." --Parade "Don't be surprised if your own cozy bungalow turns up [in the book]."--Philadelphia Inquirer "A nostalgic and informative look at the tastes of Americans in the years before World War II."--Publishers Weekly "The bible to researchers of Sears' ready-cut homes."--Saturday Evening Post

2021 Reprint of the 1913 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition and not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Reproduced from a rare 1913 edition, this volume features 112 designs for homes of "comfort and refinement. These authentic plans offer a wealth of information on building materials and other details, along with external views, floor plans, descriptions with prices, and more. Sears Modern Homes were catalog and kit houses sold primarily through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Co., an American retailer. Sold primarily to customers in East Coast and Midwest states, Sears homes have been located as far south as Florida and as far west as California. Examples have also been found in Alaska and Canada. Sears reported that more than 70,000 of these homes were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940. More than 370 different home designs in a wide range of architectural styles and sizes were offered over the program's 34-year history. Sears Modern Homes offered the latest technology available to house buyers in the early part of the twentieth century. Central heating, indoor plumbing, and electricity were all new developments in house design that "Modern Homes" incorporated, although not all of the houses were designed with these conveniences. Primarily shipped via railroad boxcars, these kits included most of the materials needed to build a house. Once delivered, many of these houses were assembled by the new homeowner, relatives, friends and neighbors, in a fashion similar to the traditional barn-raisings of farming families. Other homeowners relied on local carpenters or contractors to assemble the houses. In some cases, Sears provided construction services to assemble the homes. Some builders and companies purchased homes directly from Sears to build as model homes, speculative homes or homes for customers or employees.

Designs for 60 homes, from a simple four-room cottage with a front porch to a comfortable two-story home with four bedrooms, a reception hall, and pantry. Shown in landscaped exteriors, floor plans, and overhead cutaway views. With detailed commentaries on each design.

Reprint of rare original catalog includes huge illustrated selection of building materials, fixtures and trimmings, complete with descriptions, specifications, and prices. Hundreds of black-and-white illustrations.