Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian Mcqueen

While not a price list, McQueen’s scarcity ratings (Rare, Very Scarce, Common) are the basis for all modern pricing. A cover with a Jusqu’à Saigon marking (rated ‘Extremely Rare’ by McQueen) recently sold at a David Feldman auction for over €4,000. A common Jusqu’à Natal on a late 1930s cover might bring $150-$300.

For those inspired to start a collection based on this theme, Ian McQueen’s work offers a ready-made exhibit framework:

Each era has its own chapter in McQueen’s book. By following his chronology, a collector can tell a complete story of how airmail evolved from an experimental luxury to a scheduled, segmented service. Jusqu-a Airmail Markings- A Study Ian McQueen

Ian McQueen is a respected figure in aerophilately. His work is valuable to collectors for several reasons:

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. While not a price list, McQueen’s scarcity ratings

For the aerophilatelist, "Jusqu'à Airmail Markings" is more than a catalog; it is a detective’s tool.

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: Each era has its own chapter in McQueen’s book

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.