Banner of the Seamstress' Union, Oslo

This banner has belonged to the Seamstress' union in Oslo, founded in 1891 as the first union of women in Norway. The banner motive depicts a seamstress at her sewing machine, the main production tool of the women in the industry. Around the turn of the century the seamstresses as a group were embraced with large social interest, and they are portrayed both in literature and art of this period. The seamstresses who worked at home were often exploited by their employers, having lower wages and longer working hours than any other group in the profession.