: Distinguishing legitimate postal markings from private or philatelic fabrications.
To appreciate McQueen’s contribution, one must first understand what a Jusqu'à marking is and why it was required.
Frequently found on early 1930s covers where formal stamps had not yet been manufactured. 2. Geographic and Language Variations
These markings definitively pinpoint the exact transfer hub where the physical mailbag was opened and diverted to a surface route. 3. Manuscript and Local Modifications Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen
Before Ian McQueen published his specialized study, information on these markings was scattered and anecdotal. McQueen provided a systematic framework for identifying and categorizing these strikes.
Jusqu'à Airmail Markings: A Definitive Study of Ian McQueen’s Philatelic Legacy
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. : Distinguishing legitimate postal markings from private or
McQueen's book is highly prized for its deep dives into rare, specific postal anomalies. Several areas of his study are particularly vital for modern aerophilatelists:
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.
Britain’s Imperial Airways operated extensive routes connecting London to South Africa, India, and Australia. Senders in continental Europe frequently utilized jusqu'à markings to specify that their mail should fly via Imperial Airways up to a certain hub—like Alexandria or Calcutta—and then proceed by surface to smaller regional colonies. The Transatlantic and Transpacific Crossings Because airmail was an expensive
The term "Jusqu’à" is French for "Until" or "As far as." In the context of early 20th-century mail, it served as a critical instruction to postal clerks. Because airmail was an expensive, premium service, these markings ensured that a letter only traveled by air for the specific portion of the journey the sender had paid for. The Significance of Ian McQueen’s Work
: Did the sender pay the exact fee required for a specific intermediate zone?