Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian Mcqueen Jun 2026

McQueen intentionally focused on handstamps that explicitly indicated a restricted air service, along with airmail cancels that marked the end of the flown portion. Not every routing marking qualifies.

Britain’s Imperial Airways operated extensive routes connecting London to South Africa, India, and Australia. Senders in continental Europe frequently utilized jusqu'à markings to specify that their mail should fly via Imperial Airways up to a certain hub—like Alexandria or Calcutta—and then proceed by surface to smaller regional colonies. The Transatlantic and Transpacific Crossings

A deep dive into how international mail was passed between different transit methods during different decades. A Golden Era of Postal History

Jusqu'a airmail markings are a fascinating aspect of philately, the study of postage stamps and postal history. These markings, used during World War I, indicate that an item of mail was transported by air until it reached a specific point, often where it was then transferred to a land-based transportation method. Ian McQueen, a renowned philatelist, has conducted an in-depth study on jusqu'a airmail markings, shedding light on their history, usage, and significance. This report summarizes McQueen's findings and provides an overview of the topic. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen

Decoding the Trails of Early Aviation: A Comprehensive Study of Ian McQueen’s Jusqu’à Airmail Markings

If you own a copy of Ian McQueen’s study or possess a cover bearing a "Jusqu’a" marking, philatelic libraries encourage you to submit scans to the Aerophilately Research Group to help update and preserve this vital area of postal history.

These later works are also privately published, in a similar A4 format, and are bound in pale blue card covers. Volume Two runs from page 237 to 371, indicating the sheer scale of the undertaking. These markings, used during World War I, indicate

Various South American cities applied these markings when connecting to European-bound ships. Conclusion

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

The primary study detailing the origins, usage, and initial inventory of markings. McQueen proved exactly which crashes

What elevates Jusqu'à Airmail Markings: A Study beyond a mere checklist is McQueen’s analysis of why specific markings appeared on specific dates. He mapped the historical flight paths of pioneering airlines like Imperial Airways, Air Orient, and KLM. By cross-referencing the postmark dates on "Jusqu'à" covers with historical airline timetables, McQueen proved exactly which crashes, route suspensions, or political blockades forced postal clerks to apply these handstamps. Key Highlights from the Study

The usage of Jusqu'a markings spans a specific, clearly defined historical window. McQueen’s study heavily focuses on the period starting around —the immediate aftermath of World War I, when commercial aviation began taking off—up until the mid-1950s .

These items are the perfect intersection of aerophilately and maritime philately. Key Geographical Focus Areas in McQueen’s Study

McQueen clarified a distinction that catalogs often blur. A marking saying "Via Cairo" means "send this through Cairo." "Jusqu’a Cairo" means "airmail stops IN Cairo." His study provides the only definitive guide to distinguishing these operational instructions.

: Postal workers would apply a "Jusqu'à" handstamp or use parallel bars to "cancel" the airmail instruction for the remainder of the trip. The Translation : A mark might effectively say, "Airmail