Sears House Designs of the Thirties

Book excerpt: Proudly promoting itself as "the largest home building organization in the world," Sears, Roebuck and Company advertised its 1932 products in a handsome catalog that also displayed a full-size replica of Mount Vernon, created from Sears materials for a Paris exposition in 1932. At the heart of the publication were 68 designs for Sears houses, among them such handsome residences as the Belmont, a six-room house with vestibule, breakfast alcove, three bedrooms, and one-and-a-half baths; and the Dover, an English cottage with a massive chimney and unusual roof lines. A useful reference for people interested in preserving homes of this period, this volume will also be welcomed by anyone who relishes a glimpse of America's architectural past.