I have been in the rare and antiquarian book business for over forty years; my family has been in the rare books business since 1876. Rare books are in my blood.
Hitchcock
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Item #06665
Hitchcock to Bricusse - With His Iconic Self-Portrait
A superb association copy of Hitchcock/Truffaut, warmly inscribed to Leslie Bricusse and enhanced by Hitchcock’s unmistakable silhouette sketch - his most sought-after autograph flourish.
A cornerstone cinema title elevated into a unique, highly collectible artifact.
[HITCHCOCK, Alfred]. TRUFFAUT, François. Hitchcock by François Truffaut. With the collaboration of Helen G. Scott. New York: Simon and Schuster, [1967].
First edition, first printing. Large quarto (10 3/4 x 8 3/8 inches; 273 x 213 mm.). [1–4], 5–256 pp. Profusely illustrated throughout in rich photogravure. Publisher’s dark gray buckram over boards, spine lettered in white. Original black dust jacket printed in silver and blue; minimal rubbing to extremities. A fine copy in a near fine dust jacket.
Presentation copy, inscribed by Hitchcock on the front free endpaper: “Very best wishes to Leslie Bricusse from Alfred Hitchcock,” and further enhanced by a bold, fluid pen-and-ink self-caricature of Hitchcock’s instantly recognizable profile, executed in a single continuous line.
An exceptional association copy linking Hitchcock with Leslie Bricusse, the Academy Award - winning composer and lyricist whose celebrated career in film and theater places him squarely within Hitchcock’s cultural orbit.
Presentation copies from Hitchcock are scarce; those combining a warm personal inscription to a major figure in the entertainment world with one of his characteristic autograph drawings are decidedly rare and highly sought-after.
Hitchcock’s self-portrait - his famous silhouetted profile - served as his personal emblem, widely used in television introductions and publicity. Its presence here transforms the volume into something far beyond a signed book: a witty and self-aware visual signature that perfectly encapsulates the director’s persona. Such sketches, rendered with confident economy of line, are seldom encountered and add significant desirability.
Further enhancing the copy are two complete U.S. “Legends of Hollywood” commemorative stamp sheets (32¢, 1997) depicting Hitchcock, neatly tipped onto the versos of the front free endpaper and inscription leaf - an evocative and appropriate homage to his enduring legacy.
First published in 1967, Hitchcock/Truffaut is widely regarded as one of the most important books ever written on cinema - a landmark work that fundamentally changed how film was understood as an art form. Across a series of extended, deeply analytical interviews, François Truffaut - a leading figure of the French New Wave - systematically examined the films of Alfred Hitchcock, treating them not as commercial entertainments but as the work of a true auteur. The book played a pivotal role in elevating Hitchcock’s critical reputation, particularly in the United States, where he had often been dismissed as merely a master of suspense. By dissecting technique, structure, and visual storytelling in unprecedented detail, it helped establish the modern language of film criticism and influenced generations of directors—including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg - who have cited it as essential reading. Today, it remains a cornerstone text, as important to cinema as Boswell is to Johnson or Vasari to the Renaissance masters.
This copy is elevated into a unique and highly appealing artifact by virtue of its inscription, sketch, and distinguished association.
Price: $7,500.00