Family searching for ‘Rene’, ‘Renee’ to return photo

A mysterious photograph hidden behind some peeling wallpaper has a Dunedin family seeking the identities of "Renee" and "Rene".

The decades-old black and white photograph of a woman came with a handwritten note: "To Rene, with love Renee."

The photograph is signed by Franz Barta, a portrait photographer who operated in Dunedin between 1944 and 1975.

Caitlin Thompson said when she moved into her new house in Kenmure with her family two weeks ago, she did not expect to find the old photograph, a parish newsletter and a donations envelope for St Francis Xavier Parish behind the wallpaper.

She was only trying to find storage space for her vacuum cleaner, she said.

"It looked like it could have possibly been stashed there intentionally."

She assumed the photograph hid a love story between the sender and receiver, she said.

"When I look at it, I kind of think maybe it’s her sending a picture of herself to somebody that she was involved with or somebody that she loved... but who knows?"

Miss Thompson and her family would love to return the photograph to descendants of Rene or Renee.

"We’re just kind of hoping that somebody recognises her."

mark.john@odt.co.nz