A Century-Old Sears Clyde in Chicago

7017 N. Osceola, Chicago.

Sears Clyde from the 1921 Modern Homes catalog.

The Sears Clyde was a modest Craftsman-style bungalow offered by Sears, Roebuck & Company from 1920 through 1929. With its distinctive architectural details and efficient floor plan, the Clyde offered homeowners an attractive, affordable house.

This authenticated Sears Clyde in Chicago's Edison Park neighborhood was built in 1921. The house closely follows the catalog design, although the bedroom adjacent to the chimney projects farther out than shown in the original illustration.

 One of the Clyde's most recognizable features was its oversized decorative knee brackets, located beneath the front gable, porch roof, and projecting side bay. These details are still visible on the Edison Park house (Google Streetview).

A building permit for the house was issued in August 1921. Math Thome was the owner, and the house cost $5,000.The permit describes a house measuring 39 by 20 feet, which are the exact dimensions of the Clyde. The architect was George C. Nimmons & Co. 

Just over two years later, the house was advertised for sale in the December 23, 1923, edition of the Chicago Tribune.

Dec 23, 1923 Chicago Tribune.

More than a century after its construction, this Edison Park bungalow remains a recognizable example of the Sears Clyde.