Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian Mcqueen <Legit · 2026>

McQueen’s work (published circa 1970s–80s, often in the Airpost Journal or as a private monograph) relies heavily on European auction catalogs and a few major collections. It underrepresents markings from South America (e.g., Argentina used Hasta equivalents) and Asia. Later scholars, such as Jean-Pierre Mangin and the Société d’Études Aéropostales, have expanded McQueen’s listings, but his core typology remains intact.

Ian McQueen’s Jusqu’à Airmail Markings: A Study is an indispensable tool for the serious airmail collector. By systematically cataloging these hybrid routing instructions, McQueen preserved a brief but fascinating period when air travel was an add-on, not the default. His work demonstrates how even a narrow postal marking can illuminate broader histories of technology, commerce, and bureaucracy. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen

McQueen argues that “Jusqu’à” markings are more than curiosities; they are evidence of: McQueen’s work (published circa 1970s–80s, often in the

The study also aids in detecting forgeries, as McQueen includes detailed measurements and ink analyses. McQueen argues that “Jusqu’à” markings are more than

In the early decades of powered flight, airmail was expensive and unreliable. To offer flexibility, postal administrations introduced “Jusqu’à” markings. These instructed postal clerks and air carriers to transport a letter by air only up to a specified airport or city; beyond that point, the mail would revert to surface transport (rail or ship). Ian McQueen, a British philatelist, produced the first comprehensive taxonomy of these markings, filling a gap in airmail literature.

Ian McQueen's "Jusqu’à" Airmail Markings (A Study) is the definitive guide to the specialized postal markings indicating airmail service was only partially fulfilled. Published in 1993 with a 1995 supplement, the work provides an illustrated analysis of these "as far as" markings that signify a transition from air to surface transport. For more details on the original study, visit AbeBooks.

This essay assumes the perspective of a critical review or analytical preface to McQueen’s (hypothetical or specialized) work, situating it within the context of postal history.