Airmail Markings- A Study Ian Mcqueen - Jusqu-a

At its core, a Jusqu'a marking is a specific type of postal handstamp applied to mail. Originating primarily from the French word for "up to," these markings were used to indicate exactly how far an envelope or package would travel by air.

: Usually applied when an airmail etiquette (blue label) or stamp was present, but the air service could not be completed for the entire route.

His study broke down Jusqu’à indicators into three primary visual categories:

Ian McQueen’s (1993) and its 1995 supplement represent a landmark achievement in aerophilately. By systematically cataloguing and illustrating the cachets, handstamps and bar markings that guided hybrid air‑surface mail, McQueen rescued a neglected subject from obscurity and gave collectors a practical, usable reference. His work remains an enduring contribution to the study of airmail, and together with his later “Airmail Directional Handstamps”, it continues to inform and inspire philatelists around the world. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen

If you tell me the country of origin , the destination , or the text of the marking (e.g., "Jusqu-a Dakar"), I can help identify its specific air-to-sea route and its significance.

The term 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).

The core of McQueen’s research revolves around reconstructing the flight paths and postal contracts of the era. Several classic routes dominate the study of jusqu'à covers: The Empire Routes (Great Britain to the East) At its core, a Jusqu'a marking is a

If you’d like, I can:

The term "Jusqu'a" is French for —a perfect description of a marking that indicates how far a piece of mail was to be carried by air. These markings appear in various forms, often as text like "AIR SERVICE ONLY TO LONDON" or as a simple obliteration —a series of lines, bars, or crosses struck over an "Airmail" etiquette or handstamp to cancel the instruction for further air carriage. They are the postal system's way of saying, "This letter’s wings end here."

Before regular commercial flights covered the entirety of both oceans, mail originating in South America or Africa might be flown "Jusqu'à New York." From New York, the letters would board a transatlantic ocean liner to Europe. Conversely, during the early days of the Pan American Airways Clippers, mail might be flown "Jusqu'à San Francisco" before transitioning to the domestic US rail network. Wartime Disruption (1939–1945) His study broke down Jusqu’à indicators into three

McQueen’s study highlights several distinct types of markings that aerophilatelists encounter. These markings can be broadly divided into three structural categories:

Jusqu’à Airmail Markings: A Study " by Ian McQueen is a foundational text in aerophilately. It provides a detailed classification of postal markings used when an airmail request was only partially fulfilled. What are Jusqu’à Markings?

Ian McQueen