For the aerophilatelist, "Jusqu'à Airmail Markings" is more than a catalog; it is a detective’s tool.
The term Jusqu'à is French for "as far as" or "up to." In postal history, a "Jusqu'à marking" is a specific handstamp or annotation used to indicate the limit of a specific service or route.
While "Jusqu'à" markings are most famous in standard maritime mail (indicating the port where a sea journey ended and land transport began), McQueen’s book explores how these concepts apply to airmail. Specifically, it investigates markings that denote:
To appreciate the significance of McQueen’s study, one must first understand the terminology. The phrase Jusqu'à translates from French as "as far as" or "up to." Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen
In the context of postal history, a Jusqu'à marking indicates the specific point to which a letter was carried by airmail. During the early and mid-20th century, airmail routes were often fragmented. A letter might travel by air from London to Karachi, but then continue by surface transport (ship or rail) to its final destination.
The postal authorities used handstamps or manuscript notations—often bearing the word "Jusqu'à" followed by a city name—to inform handlers exactly where the expensive airmail service ended and the standard surface service began. This ensured proper routing and prevented the incorrect charging of postal rates.
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. For the aerophilatelist, "Jusqu'à Airmail Markings" is more
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.
The 1920s and 1930s saw rapid expansion of air routes, but many destinations remained unserved by air. A letter from London to Cape Town might go by air to Cairo, then by rail and ship. The “Jusqu’à” marking allowed senders to pay a reduced airmail fee—only for the air sector. McQueen traces this practice primarily to France, Belgium, Switzerland, and their colonies, though similar markings appeared in other European nations.
To understand the significance of McQueen’s work, one must first understand the historical context. In the late 1920s and 1930s, airmail was not a door-to-door service. It was a hybrid transport system, especially across the French colonial empire and into South America. A letter might travel by air from London
The term “Jusqu’à” translates from French as “as far as” or “up to.” In postal practice, a Jusqu’à marking indicated that the postal authorities should carry the letter by air only to a specific airport or city. Beyond that point, the letter was to revert to surface mail (sea or rail).
If you are fortunate enough to locate a copy of Jusqu’à Airmail Markings – A Study (original print runs were likely under 500 copies), or if you find a digital scan in a philatelic society library, here is how to use it:
McQueen divided Jusqu’à markings into four operational zones: