Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian Mcqueen
Ian McQueen’s Jusqu’à Airmail Markings: A Study (1993, 1995 Supplement) provides a comprehensive, foundational analysis of non-standardized postal markings indicating that airmail, due to service limitations, was completed by surface transport. Published by W.A. Page, this work, which includes an extensive 1995 supplement, transformed the study of these "as far as" markings into a key area of aerophilately. For more details, visit Academia.edu
Review: "Jusqu'a Airmail Markings - A Study" by Ian McQueen
This comprehensive study by Ian McQueen delves into the fascinating world of airmail markings, specifically focusing on the "Jusqu'a" markings used on postal items. The book is a meticulous and detailed exploration of these markings, making it an essential resource for philatelists, postal history enthusiasts, and researchers.
Content and Organization
The book is organized in a logical and easy-to-follow manner, with each chapter building on the previous one to provide a thorough understanding of the subject. McQueen's writing style is clear, concise, and engaging, making the book accessible to both novice and experienced collectors.
The study begins with an introduction to airmail markings and their significance in postal history. McQueen then provides an in-depth examination of the "Jusqu'a" markings, including their origins, usage, and variations. The book is richly illustrated with high-quality images of postal items, markings, and other relevant materials, which helps to facilitate understanding and identification.
Key Features and Highlights
- Comprehensive coverage: McQueen's study provides an exhaustive examination of "Jusqu'a" markings, covering their history, development, and usage.
- Detailed analysis: The author offers a meticulous analysis of the markings, including their typology, chronology, and geographical distribution.
- Rich illustrations: The book is profusely illustrated with high-quality images of postal items, markings, and other relevant materials, making it an invaluable resource for visual learners.
- Useful appendices: McQueen includes several appendices that provide additional information, such as a list of references, a glossary of terms, and a detailed index.
Target Audience
This book is primarily aimed at:
- Philatelists: Collectors of airmail stamps, postal history enthusiasts, and those interested in the study of postal markings will find this book an invaluable resource.
- Postal history researchers: Scholars and researchers interested in the history of postal services, transportation, and communication will appreciate the book's detailed analysis and comprehensive coverage.
- Libraries and institutions: Libraries and institutions with collections related to postal history, philately, or transportation will find this book a valuable addition to their holdings.
Overall Assessment
"Jusqu'a Airmail Markings - A Study" by Ian McQueen is a meticulously researched and well-written book that provides a comprehensive understanding of "Jusqu'a" markings. The book's clear organization, detailed analysis, and rich illustrations make it an essential resource for anyone interested in airmail markings, postal history, or philately. I highly recommend this book to collectors, researchers, and institutions seeking to expand their knowledge on this fascinating topic.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Recommendation: This book is a must-have for anyone interested in airmail markings, postal history, or philately. I strongly recommend it to collectors, researchers, and institutions seeking to add a valuable resource to their library.
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.
8. Conclusion
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.
Conclusion: The Legacy of McQueen’s Magnum Opus
The Jusqu’à system is a beautiful paradox: a highly organized method for stopping an airplane’s journey. For 30 years, these markings carried the diplomatic, commercial, and personal mail of an empire caught between the speed of flight and the economy of the sea.
Without Ian McQueen’s systematic study, these covers would be mere curiosities—interesting but indecipherable. With his study in hand, the collector becomes a detective, tracing a letter’s path from a Parisian boulevard to an African lagoon, then onward by ship to a Brazilian port.
Whether you are a seasoned specialist in Latin American airmails or a general collector who has just discovered a strange violet handstamp on a 1930s envelope, Jusqu’à Airmail Markings – A Study is your map, your guide, and your final authority. Seek it out. The forgotten airways of the Aéropostale await.
Are you looking for a specific Jusqu’à marking identified by Ian McQueen? Do you have a cover you believe is referenced in his study? Contact your local philatelic society or post a scan in the Airmail Collectors’ Club forum for authentication assistance. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen
Ian McQueen’s Jusqu'à Airmail Markings: A Study provides a foundational analysis of auxiliary postal markings used between 1919 and the 1950s to indicate where air transport concluded for a specific mail item. The work systematically catalogs these "as far as" handstamps, which were crucial for documenting the varied, non-standardized practices of early international airmail before universal air transit was adopted. For more information, visit Jusqua.org.
Jusqu’à Airmail Markings (A Study) by Ian McQueen is a seminal philatelic reference work that explores the specialized field of "jusqu'à" (French for "as far as") markings. These postal handstamps indicate that a piece of mail was carried by air only for a portion of its journey, after which it was transferred to surface transport for final delivery. Publication History and Editions
The study was originally published in the early 1990s and has since been updated with supplemental material:
Original Edition (1993): Published by W.A. Page in Dartford, this initial release contained 109 pages and was typically issued as a spiral or comb-bound paperback.
Supplement (1995): Just two years later, a major supplement was released (pages 110–273). This addition was significantly larger than the original book, reflecting the rapid growth of information in this previously neglected field.
Combined Volumes: Some later editions or copies found at retailers like AbeBooks or specialized philatelic sites like Phila Art may offer Volumes I and II bound together. Core Content and Research
Ian McQueen's work is credited with being a "ground-breaking" resource for aerophilatelists. Key features of the study include:
Identification of Designs: It catalogs various marking types, including two to six solid red or black bars, cross cancellations, and specific text-based handstamps used to obliterate original airmail instructions.
Location and Period Studies: By analyzing the designs and colors of these markings, the book helps collectors identify the specific locations and timeframes in which the mail was diverted from air service. Ian McQueen’s Jusqu’à Airmail Markings: A Study (1993,
Global Scope: It lists known markings by country, providing reference numbers for each and describing the "jusqu'à" cancels used worldwide.
Collectors of auxiliary markings consider this an "invaluable" and "essential" resource, though it can be difficult to obtain today.
Ian McQueen’s Jusqu'à Airmail Markings: A Study (1993) and its 1995 supplement are considered essential reference works for aerophilatelists, documenting "partially flown" mail covers. The study acts as a comprehensive guide to worldwide "Jusqu'à" markings, which indicate the point at which mail transferred from air to surface transport. For more details, visit airindiacollector.com.
Books by Ian McQueen (Author of Telling Tales About Dementia)
Who Was Ian McQueen?
Before analyzing the text, a note on the author. Ian McQueen was a British philatelist active during the mid-20th century. While he wrote on several aspects of postal history, he is most revered for his obsessive attention to the Franco-British airmail routes. Unlike generalist catalogers, McQueen focused on ephemeral data—the ink stamps, handwritten notes, and accounting marks that clerks used for mere seconds before a mailbag was sealed.
His methodology was forensic. He didn't just look at the stamp affixed; he looked at the relationship between the stamp, the rate, the route, and the "Jusqu’a" endorsement. This holistic approach is what makes Jusqu’a Airmail Markings: A Study unique.
Unearthing a Philatelic Gem: The Definitive Guide to Jusqu’à Airmail Markings and the Ian McQueen Study
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 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.
