For example, a 1935 Palestine airmail cover sold at auction in 2026 was described with the note: “McQueen records this particular jusqu'a marking being in use between 1935 and 1937”. Similarly, a Kuwait airmail cover was identified as bearing “a marking used in London from 1945‑47, in red” because “Ian McQueen's Jusqu'a Airmail Markings (1993) illustrates precisely this marking”. In the case of a cover from British Honduras that bore a boxed handstamp reading “Par voie aérienne jusqu’a” with a space for the destination, the specialist noted that “McQueen records it used 1934‑37”.
True postal history pieces show a direct correlation between the stamps affixed and the partial-air rate of the era. Cross-reference the postage with historical tariff tables to ensure it is not a philatelic creation.
This is a focused, informative paper based on the known philatelic study Jusqu’à Airmail Markings: A Study by Ian McQueen. Since McQueen’s original text is a specialized handbook for collectors, this paper synthesizes its core findings, historical context, and philatelic significance. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen
As the Israel Philatelist noted, “Airmail Directional Handstamps is a two‑volume study by Ian McQueen that supplemented his previous two volumes entitled Jusqu’a Airmail Markings published in 1993 and 1995”. In these later volumes, McQueen broadened his scope to cover all manner of handstamps that gave routing instructions to mail, not only those that specifically used the word “Jusqu’à”. The result is a comprehensive reference that remains the go‑to source for anyone researching how international mail was directed before the widespread adoption of all‑air services.
McQueen’s broader achievement, however, lies in . Before his study, these markings were often ignored or dismissed as unimportant. McQueen showed that they are a legitimate and fascinating branch of aerophilately, worthy of the same detailed study as stamps, cancellations or flight covers. His work has inspired a new generation of collectors to look beyond the stamp and to appreciate the full journey of a letter through the international postal system. For example, a 1935 Palestine airmail cover sold
[International Airmail Letter] │ ▼ [Is full air routing possible/paid?] ├── Yes ──► [Flies to Destination] └── No ──► [Jusqu'à Marking Applied] │ ┌────────────────┼────────────────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ [Mute / Bar Marks] [Boxed / Text Marks] [Manuscript Notes] (Deletes Air Label) (Names Transfer Point) (Handwritten Rules) 1. Mute or Bar Marks
Ian McQueen’s Jusqu’à Airmail Markings: A Study remains a seminal reference for understanding a specific category of early airmail postal markings. The term “Jusqu’à” (French for “as far as”) indicates a routing instruction meaning “by air as far as” a certain point, then by surface mail. This paper examines McQueen’s classification system, the historical emergence of these markings between the 1920s and 1940s, their geographical distribution, and their significance to postal historians. True postal history pieces show a direct correlation
Did the aircraft actually fly the route on the dates indicated by the postmarks? McQueen’s chronological data helps verify if a cover is genuine or contrived for collectors.
Because many of these stamps were applied in haste, clear, fully legible strikes of the jusqu'à text are much more valuable than faint or partial inkings. Conclusion