The snaps, believed to be part of the legendary movie mogul’s personal collection, prove beyond doubt that Hitchcock did indeed make the movie in 1929 – but didn’t release it.
The set of photos also includes images from the set of The Manxman, another silent film the director made in the late 1920s.
The previously unknown collection of 59 photos from the sets of two of the most searched for lost films in history will be among the highlights at the Profiles in History Drama, Action, Romance auction, which is scheduled for 15 and 16 December (12).
A spokesperson for the auction house tells WENN, “Though a handful of original-release materials exists for The Manxman, virtually nothing has ever surfaced for The Mountain Eagle, not even the film itself, which is one of the most sought-after lost films in history, declared by a reviewer at the time as being far superior to The Lodger – Hitchcock’s most famous silent film.
“The discovery of these film stills will have a tremendous impact on the study and appreciation of Alfred Hitchcock films. This is a unique opportunity to possess a very rare Hollywood treasure.”
Each set of stills is expected to fetch in excess of $10,000 (£6,250).
