Sears Modern Homes Resources

Editor's note: Rosemary Thornton is one of the country's leadingexperts on Sears catalog homes. Here are excerpts of her new book, "The Houses That Sears Built: Everything You Ever Wanted to KnowAbout Sears Catalogue Homes," published in 2002 by Gentle BeamPublications of Alton, IL 62002.

Books

Asher, Louis E. and Heal, Edith. Send No Money. Chicago: Argus Books, 1942.

Emmet, Boris and Jeuck, John E. Catalogues and Counters, A History of SearsRoebuck and Company. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1950.

Hoge, Sr., Cecil C. The First Hundred Years are the Toughest: What We CanLearn From the Century of Competition Between Sears and Wards. Berkeley,California: Ten Speed Press, 1988.

Sorensen, Lorin. Sears Roebuck and Co. 100th Anniversary 1886-1986. St.Helena, California: Silverado Publishing Company, 1985.

Stevenson, Katherine Cole and Jandl, H. Ward. Houses by Mail, A Guide toHouses from Sears, Roebuck and Company. National Trust for HistoricPreservation, 1986.

Time Life Books. 1900-1910 This Fabulous Century. New York: Time-Life Books,1969.

Magazines

Business Week, New York City, New York "Quantity Production Reaches theHomes Builder." March 26, 1930, p. 25-26.

"Sears House Plan: General Houses, Inc., Makes Houses; Sears Sell Thingsto Go in Them." May 2, 1936, p. 17.

"Sears Prefabricates." August 31, 1935, p. 12.

"Sears and Housing." September 2, 1939, p. 27.

Fortune, New York "Mass Produced Houses in Review." April 1933, p.52-57.

Illinois State Journal "Dear Sirs: For Check Enclosed, Please Send Me156 New Homes." March 27, 1967.

American Builder "Uncle Sam is Backing Up the Building Industry."May 1919, p. 23

Newspapers

Wall Street Journal, New York "Sears Will Expand HomeConstruction." January 22, 1932, p. 5.

Catalogues

Montgomery Wards, Wardway Homes Catalogue, 1924.

Sears, Roebuck General Merchandise Catalogue, 1908.

Sears, Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1908.

Sears, Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1909.

Sears, Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1919.

Sears Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1921.

Sears Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1922.

Sears Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1923.

Sears Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1924.

Sears Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1936.

Sears Roebuck Book of Modern Homes, 1940.

Sears Roebuck Catalogue of Seroco Paints, 1911.

Small Houses of the Twenties, The Sears, Roebuck 1926 House Catalog, DoverPublications, Inc. New York. reprinted 1991.

Homes in a Box, Modern Homes From Sears Roebuck, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.,Atglen, Pennsylvania, 1998.

Other parts of thisstory: Part1: Building by the book ~~ Part2: Post-WWI building boom ~~ Part3: How to find and identify Sears catalog homes ~~ Anote on the number of designs ~~

To more OHW stories on Searshomes

Text and photos are copyright2002 by Rosemary Thornton and may not be reproduced or distributed without herexpress written consent.