Racine treasures may make it on the Roadshow

The BBC has a lovely story this week about a painting stolen in 1987, then found four years ago dumped in a pile of rubbish on the street in New York.

It's a charming, sentimental tale for a number of reasons, but especially because the woman who found the painting tracked down its rightful owner with the help of Antiques Roadshow -- and returned it. And, oh, yes, the painting is now worth about $1 million. It'll be auctioned Nov. 20. Go ahead: read about that painting HERE; I'll wait until you get back.

OK, then, back to our story, about two Racine women who made their own visit to Antiques Roadshow last year, when the Roadshow visited Milwaukee. Now you know where they find some of those interesting heirlooms that have made us all rummage through our own attics and basements for 11 seasons.

Joedy Simonsen and her daughter, Laurie Stevenson, made the trek north, treasures in tow, with a number of local folks and finally we'll all find out whether any of those "treasures" really are. The Roadshow folks will say only that the show will be broadcast here Monday on PBS's Milwaukee station, WMVS, (Channel 10 on TimeWarner) at 7 p.m., and on Chicago's PBS station, WTTW, (Channel 11) at 8 p.m.

Joedy and Laurie may appear in one of the show's sidebars. They were interviewed by one of the appraisers about pieces of miniature luggage made by Joedy's grandfather, Joseph Kiefer. He was the Master Craftsman for Hartmann Luggage in the 1940s, and his photograph appeared on all the hangtags attached to the luggage.

Several pieces of the miniature luggage he made are at the Heritage Museum, donated by Joedy's uncle; the museum also has some of his tools. Joedy has some luggage too, perfect for traveling light: the pieces range in size from 3" to 9".

Joedy doesn't know whether she and Laurie will be part of the show, but she did say this: "We both got to meet Leigh Keno and Mark Walberg and have become their adoring fans!" Treasures come in all sizes.