Ian Mcqueen [portable]: Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study

Jusqu-à Airmail Markings — A Study

3. The Route Atlas

McQueen mapped every known "Jusqu’a" point active between 1928 and 1939. Key hubs included:

• Jusqu’a Marseille: The Imperial Airways hub for Africa.
• Jusqu’a Basel: For connections to the Swiss Alpenpost.
• Jusqu’a Bangkok: Rare; used only on the Imperial Airways extension to Australia.

Identification and Authentication

• Ink, impression, and typography: Study the ink type, strike depth, and letterforms to date and authenticate markings; compare with known office handstamps.
• Contextual clues: Postmarks, transit cancels, air waybills, and rate calculations corroborate the intended service limit.
• Forgery awareness: High-value or rare Jusqu’à handstamps may be forged or added later—expert certification or comparative reference checks are recommended.

By Ian McQueen

Postal Function and Meaning

• Service limit indicator: Notifies that airmail service was prepaid only up to the named point; beyond that point mail proceeded by surface transport or different contractual arrangements.
• Routing instruction: Guides postal clerks and carriers on preferred air segments versus land/sea onward carriage.
• Customs/inspection signal: In some cases, jusqu’à notations helped customs or military censors identify which part of the route required inspection or which authority had jurisdiction.

Unearthing a Philatelic Gem: The Definitive Guide to Jusqu’à Airmail Markings and the Ian McQueen Study

In the specialized world of postal history, few artifacts are as tantalizingly obscure or as geographically significant as the French “Jusqu’à” airmail markings. For decades, these markings—hand-stamped or printed endorsements directing a letter’s airborne journey “as far as” a specific point—were a footnote in major catalogues. That all changed with the publication of one seminal reference work: Jusqu’à Airmail Markings – A Study by the revered British philatelist Ian McQueen. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen

For collectors of European airmail, Middle Eastern overland routes, or the intricate operations of the Compagnie Générale Aéropostale (later Air France), McQueen’s study is the Rosetta Stone. This article provides a comprehensive deep dive into the history, purpose, and collecting landscape of Jusqu’à markings, anchored by the indispensable scholarship of Ian McQueen. Jusqu-à Airmail Markings — A Study 3