Likely a wrap gift from screenwriter George Axelrod, who wrote and produced the 1964 Paramount production Paris When It Sizzles, the engraving refers to a line in the film-within-the-film where Audrey as Gaby exclaims to Rick [William Holden] over a luxurious café lunch Oh, what fun! Both of us having had giraffes as children. It's a small world, isn't it?

Paris When It Sizzles follows top Hollywood screenwriter Richard Benson [Holden] as he scrambles to finish his latest script by acting out fantasies with savvy young secretary Gabrielle Simpson [Hepburn]. Filmed in the summer of 1962, the production was plagued by Holden's alcoholism, almost shutting down for weeks at a time while he received treatment, and was saved only by Axelrod shipping in guest stars Tony Curtis and Marlene Dietrich to keep the cameras rolling. The final picture was a clever satire of the movie business, rife with insider jokes and cross-references. However, the unconventional structure and film-within-a-film storyline confused viewers and the movie was shelved for two years, finally being released in 1964.

Comparative Image: Audrey Hepburn and George Axelrod, 1961 - Please note that this comparative image is not included with this lot.