Seamstress Collection

Betsy Ross sewing the first American flag. Painting by Henry Mosler (1841-1920)
BIRTH OF THE FLAG. Betsy Ross sewing the first American flag. Painting by Henry Mosler (1841-1920)

Silent Film Still: Sewing

American seamstress and patriot. Betsy Ross making the first American flag. Drawing by Elisabeth Moore Hallowell
BETSY ROSS (1752-1836). American seamstress and patriot. Betsy Ross making the first American flag. Drawing by Elisabeth Moore Hallowell

CASSATT: MOTHER SEWING. Young Mother Sewing. Oil on canvas, 1902, by Mary Cassatt

Esther Bruce & her father Joseph Bruce in Fulham, London. Josephine Esther Bruce (1912-1994) working-class mixed race seamstress born in Fulham, London to a Guyanese father & an English mother

Betsy Ross making the first American flag (colour litho)
3094011 Betsy Ross making the first American flag (colour litho) by American School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Betsy Ross making the first American flag)

Workers at William Pretty and sons Ltd in Ipswich sitting at their Singer machines putting in the elastic bands in underwear November 1935

The Haunted Lady, Punch
The Haunted Lady, or The Ghost in the Looking-Glass. A lady admires her new dress, but the mirror reveals the sacrifice made: the death of the wretched seamstress

Wardrobe Department
Ladies in the Wardrobe Department of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. Date: 1960s

Limenay marriage agency, rue du Paradis, 1903 (postcard)
8822201 Limenay marriage agency, rue du Paradis, 1903 (postcard); Private Collection; (add.info.: Limenay marriage agency (from the Hymenee)

Paris seamstresses work in a clothing sweatshop, France. By Pierre Vidal, 1894 (engraving)
5669473 Paris seamstresses work in a clothing sweatshop, France. By Pierre Vidal, 1894 (engraving); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Mimi Pinson. (Illustration, ca. 1910)
5975875 Mimi Pinson. (Illustration, ca. 1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: Company. -... morals. Mimi Pinson (grisette et couturiere in Paris) in the sewing workshop

Young female factory worker on her way to work, 1880
3478873 Young female factory worker on her way to work, 1880; (add.info.: Young female factory worker on her way to work, London, 1880.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Dressmaker delivering a dress while walking under an umbrella in the rain, 1850
3478872 Dressmaker delivering a dress while walking under an umbrella in the rain, 1850; (add.info.: Dressmaker delivering a dress while walking under an umbrella in the rain)

Writing method by Dubus and Lemaire, c.1880-1900 (printing)
8713000 Writing method by Dubus and Lemaire, c.1880-1900 (printing); 22 x 17 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: in "Writing method in relation to the teaching of reading by F)

An idle rich girl and exhausted seamstress
5616028 An idle rich girl and exhausted seamstress; (add.info.: Illustration depicting an idle rich girl and exhausted seamstress. Dated 19th Century. 01/01/1881); Universal History Archive/UIG.

A sewing bag as used by a seamstress in 1895, 1895
3479062 A sewing bag as used by a seamstress in 1895, 1895; (add.info.: A sewing bag as used by a seamstress in 1895.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Trade card for H Eagle, milliner, florist and plumassier, London (engraving)
8677543 Trade card for H Eagle, milliner, florist and plumassier, London (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Trade card for H Eagle, milliner)

Gabriel Varden (colour litho)
2775610 Gabriel Varden (colour litho) by Reynolds, Frank (1876-1953); Private Collection; (add.info.: Gabriel Varden, from Barnaby Rudge, by Charles Dickens)

Needlework by Candlelight (oil on canvas)
FNP270587 Needlework by Candlelight (oil on canvas) by Shaw, Arthur Winter (1869-1948); 53.3x43 cm; Private Collection.

The workshop of a dressmaker, illustration from the Paris Encyclopedia, 1715 (engraving)
IND113014 The workshop of a dressmaker, illustration from the Paris Encyclopedia, 1715 (engraving); Biblioteca Universidad, Barcelona, Spain; Index Fototeca.

Neva. Les meilleures pour familles et ateliers, c. 1890. Creator: Tamagno, Nicolas (1862-1933)
Neva. Les meilleures pour familles et ateliers, c. 1890. Private Collection

Chadwick's Cotton Sewing Thread, 1890. Creator: Anonymous
Chadwick's Cotton Sewing Thread, 1890. Private Collection

Helvetia, machines à coudre, 1890. Creator: Anonymous
Helvetia, machines a coudre, 1890. Private Collection

Pfaff, c. 1900. Creator: Reijs, F. (active ca 1900)
Pfaff, c. 1900. Private Collection

Athos, 1895. Creator: Tabouret, Émile (1850-1927)
Athos, 1895. Private Collection

La White, machine à coudre américaine , c. 1912. Creator: Anonymous
La White, machine a coudre americaine , c. 1912. Private Collection

La légère rapide New Home , c. 1889. Creator: Anonymous
La legere rapide New Home , c. 1889. Private Collection

Machines à coudre françaises Hurtu, 1889. Creator: Anonymous
Machines a coudre francaises Hurtu, 1889. Private Collection

Machine à coudre Elias Howe, 1906. Creator: Wallace, Richard William (1872-1927)
Machine a coudre Elias Howe, 1906. Private Collection

Singer Machines , 1891. Creator: Anonymous
Singer Machines , 1891. Private Collection

Dewhurst Sewing Thread, 1890. Creator: Anonymous
Dewhurst Sewing Thread, 1890. Private Collection

Elysian Thread
Vertigo Artography

The ironers
Christine von Diepenbroek

The Rag Basket, c.1850-c.1882. Creator: Alexander Hugo Bakker Korff
The Rag Basket, c.1850-c.1882

The Little Seamstress, 1850-1888. Creator: Jozef Israels
The Little Seamstress, 1850-1888

"The Industrious Needlewomen" - painted by M. Trayer - from the Exhibition of French Artists, 1856. We are happy to learn that the Exhibition which has been opened in Liverpool

Sewing Department, 1915. Creator: Unknown
Sewing Department, 1915

A group of Mrs. Ida E. Gladden's advanced students in dressmaking, Greenville, S. C. 1902. Creator: Unknown
A group of Mrs. Ida E. Gladden's advanced students in dressmaking, Greenville, S. C. 1902

'"A Women Sewing" after Nicholas Maes, 1890. Creator: Unknown
'"A Women Sewing" after Nicholas Maes, 1890. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 42. July to December, 1890

Mrs. Doyen's Red Cross workroom, between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Mrs
Mrs. Doyen's Red Cross workroom, between 1910 and 1920

"The Song of the Shirt" - painted by A.E. Blunden - from the Exhibition of the Society of... 1854
"The Song of the Shirt" - painted by A.E. Blunden - from the Exhibition of the Society of British Artists, 1854

Working women, c. 1725. Creator: Ceruti, Giacomo Antonio (1698-1767)
Working women, c. 1725. Found in the Collection of the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia

Working women, c. 1725. Creator: Ceruti, Giacomo Antonio (1698-1767)
Working women, c. 1725. Found in the Collection of the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia

Camper receives help in fitting a coat from WPA sewing instructor, FSA, California, 1938. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Camper receives help in fitting a coat from Works Progress Administration (WPA) sewing instructor. Shafter camp for migratory agricultural workers (Farm Security Administration-FSA), California

Camper receives help in fitting a coat from WPA sewing instructor, FSA, California, 1938. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Camper receives help in fitting a coat from Works Progress Administration (WPA) sewing instructor. Shafter camp for migratory agricultural workers (Farm Security Administration-FSA), California

This Is How a Road Gets Made
Vertigo Artography

Knitted Waterfall - Crochet
Vertigo Artography

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"From Betsy Ross to Esther Bruce: Celebrating the Artistry of Seamstresses" In the realm of history and art, seamstresses have left an indelible mark on society. One iconic image takes us back to the birth of a nation, as Betsy Ross meticulously sews the first American flag. Henry Mosler's painting captures her dedication and patriotism, reminding us of her role in shaping America's identity. Elisabeth Moore Hallowell's drawing further immortalizes Betsy Ross as an American seamstress and patriot. Her skillful hands bring life to every stitch, symbolizing unity and freedom for a young nation. Even in silent films, sewing holds its own allure. A still from one such film depicts a captivating scene where needle meets thread, showcasing the timeless beauty found in this craft. The significance of Betsy Ross making the first American flag is also captured in a vibrant color lithograph. The colors she chooses reflect not only her creativity but also her commitment to representing a united country through fabric and design. Moving forward in time, we encounter Mary Cassatt's masterpiece "Young Mother Sewing. " This oil painting showcases another facet of seamstressing - that it is not just about creating flags or costumes but also about nurturing relationships within families. Intriguingly titled "The Haunted Lady, " Punch magazine reminds us that even amidst societal challenges, women like Esther Bruce persevered with their needlework skills. Whether facing ghostly apparitions or everyday struggles, these women used their talents to overcome adversity with grace. Esther Bruce herself became known for her work both on stage and offstage. From being photographed alongside her father Joseph Bruce in Fulham to attending events like Aunt Esther's Story launch or joining forces with suffragette Constance Lytton Jane Wharton - Esther embodied strength and resilience through her craft. Collaboration was key within the world of seamstresses, as seen in the image of Esther Bruce and Kathy Joyce in Brighton.