Lot #832: Two Vintage 1920s UK "Judges' Postcard Pictures" - "Hindhead: The London Road and Gibbet Hill" (Surrey) - "Branksome Chine, Bournemouth" (Dorest)

Two Vintage 1920s UK "Judges' Postcard Pictures" Postcards, unused. Both indicate publisher as "Judges Ltd., Hastings. Postcard Picture" No Stamp. Never postally used. No message. (1) First card: Hills in Hindhead, Surrey with road below and Celtic Cross monument above, with caption "4711. Hindhead: The London Road and Gibbet Hill". Hindhead was known as the "Little Switzerland" of Surrey. The London Road shown here is the historic A3, a vital artery through the South Downs. The monument atop Gibbet Hill is the Celtic Cross erected in 1851 to dispel the "fears of the site" (where a notorious murder and subsequent hanging took place in 1786). (2) Second card, Women with long dresses and large hats on beach, with permabulator, with caption "765. Branksome Chine, Bournemouth" Branksome Chine in Dorset (Bournemouth) is one of Bournemouth’s most exclusive wooded ravines leading to the sea. The presence of the pram highlights the chine’s role as a "Civilized Wilderness"—a place for the upper-middle class to enjoy the sea air away from the rowdier town center. This pair of "Judges' Postcard Pictures" represents the elite tier of British topographical publishing. Judges Ltd. was founded by Fred Judge in Hastings, and was world-renowned for a specific artistic style that transformed standard views into "Atmospheric Studies." Fred Judge was a master of the Pictorialist movement in photography. Judges' cards often utilized soft lighting, long shadows, and a deep sepia or warm monochrome tone. They were marketed as "Postcard Pictures" to emphasize that they were collectible works of art, not just mailers. Based in Hastings, they remained a family-run powerhouse of quality for decades. Their numbering system (e.g., 4711 and 765) is a goldmine for collectors, as it allows for precise dating of when the original negative was added to their massive archive. These High-Grade Sepia Bromide or Photo-Engraving postcard from Judges Ltd., Hastings appear to date from the Golden Age of Sepia (1920s) Dimensions: 9 mm x 14 mm Pickup category timeslot {A}