"Thelma (Tema) Olenberg was a professional hand embroideress. She worked for the Gemsco company. in Manhattan. They made insignias for all kinds of uniforms including WWII uniforms. Machine embroidery was not yet in use, so the company had a fleet of about 25-30 women who hand embroidered insignias and hat visors for WWII uniforms using gold and silver bullion and wire. It was piece work , and when we were young my mother worked at home on a wooden frame on which she stretched buckram, a kind of canvas."
"The pieces were then stitched on this backing and later cut off. She would make a weekly trip into the company to deliver the work and pick up more. She was quite an expert and the work was beautiful. It was her contribution to the war effort. Sadly, the only piece of her work that I have is a cowboy and horse she did for my son when he was a little boy. But several years ago I found one of the WWII insignias at a flea market . It was almost certtainly done by one of the Gemsco women. It was a design I often saw my mother do. Enclosing 2 photos of the work I have."
