The Sears Ivanhoe: A Prairie‑Style Classic

Among the many houses Sears sold through its Modern Homes catalogs, the Ivanhoe stands apart as one of the company’s most ambitious offerings. Sold from 1911 to 1918, the Ivanhoe was not the typical modest bungalow or practical foursquare that made Sears famous. Instead, it was a sprawling, Prairie‑influenced residence that Sears proudly advertised as “designed by one of Chicago’s leading architects.” Even today, that line feels like a wink — a hint that the Ivanhoe belonged to a different class of mail‑order home.

The Sears Ivanhoe Model No. 264P230, which had a shed dormer and side porches.

Unlike most Sears houses, the Ivanhoe did not arrive with pre‑cut lumber. Sears often skipped pre‑cutting on their largest designs because the cost of precision milling would have driven the price even higher. The Ivanhoe was already expensive; keeping the lumber uncut was one of the few ways to keep it within reach of upper‑middle‑class buyers.

The Ivanhoe had multiple exterior variations, all sharing the same interior floor plan. Some Ivanhoes had two-story sun porches stretched along the side. Some had a simple shed dormer above the front door. Some had a full front porch; some had a partial front porch.

The Sears Ivanhoe Model No. 264P200. The house had no side porch, but a full-width front porch.

Whatever exterior the customer chose, the interior floor plan was the same for every type of Ivanhoe.

Elmhurst 

440 S. Kenilworth, Elmhurst. The Elmhurst Ivanhoe has both side and full front porches.  

The living room.

The same room (and matching mantel) in the 1911 Modern Homes catalog.

The dining room.

The dining room as shown in the 1911 Modern Homes catalog.

The "owner's bedroom" that faces the front of the house and has access to the side porch.

The same bedroom in the 1911 Modern Homes catalog.

You can see more interior photos in the real estate listing.

The county says the Ivanhoe was built in 1915. The original owners were Francis Oscar Stevens and his wife, Esther. Francis was a buyer and manager for the carpet and rug division of Marshall Field & Company. By 1922 the Stevens had sold the house.

Francis Oscar Stevens in January 1916.

Downers Grove 

744 Maple, Downers Grove. The authenticated Ivanhoe in Downers Grove has a right side porch (enclosed) and a partial front porch. The exterior is stucco and brick. Photo courtesy of Sue Smith.

The house was built in 1915 by Frederick B. Towsley, and the current homeowners have the original Sears construction documents and receipts, which show that Frederick paid $2,756 for the house. Supposedly the blueprints still exist for this house, but I have yet to learn who the architect was.

Frederick was co-owner of the Owen & Towsley Co., a manufacturer of neckwear in Chicago.

Fred and May Towsley in 1920. That animal around your neck is just divine, Mrs. Towsley.

Fred died in 1957 and his wife died in 1974. The Towsley family owned the house until 1990, giving it an unusually long single‑family lineage.

Oak Park and Glencoe?
Sears itself claimed in the 1918 Modern Homes catalog that Ivanhoes had been built in Oak Park and Glencoe, two suburbs known for their early 20th‑century architectural richness. Yet these houses have not surfaced.

The Sears Ivanhoe matters because it represents Sears at its most ambitious — an example of Sears reaching for the upper end of the housing market. Most Sears homes were designed for practicality, affordability, and mass appeal. The Ivanhoe was designed for presence.

Copyright Disclaimer: All photographs in this post (unless otherwise noted) are from real estate aggregate Redfin.com and are used in this post for the purposes of education, consistent with 17 USC §107.