US postal - Philatelic Research

    Study guide: Airmail Etiquettes

                                Airmail Labels

Airmail Etiquettes

                            *airmail etiquettes, airmail labels, airmail stickers

   "Stamp collecting dispels boredom, enlarges our vision, broadens our knowledge, makes us better citizens and in innumerable ways, enriches our lives..." President Roosevelt

Definition

Etiquettes. The French word "etiquette" is related to the English word "ticket," which is defined as a notice attached to something. Simple labels that indicate a requested mail service are known as etiquettes. Among the more common are airmail etiquettes. On most airmail etiquettes the word "airmail" appears in the native language of the country from which the label originates ("Flugpost" on the Austrian example), as well as in French ("Par Avion"). The label in the illustration also has the words in English. Etiquettes have no postal value, but their great variety and common usage make them appealing to collectors. Most of the labels also do not identify the country of origin. If the etiquette is used on cover, the origin of the label can usually be determined by examining the sender's address or the stamps used to frank the envelope. Other forms of etiquettes include labels indicating first-class or priority mail handling. A similar area of Cinderella collecting interest includes the labels and stickers from many countries used to mark registered or certified mail.

An airmail etiquette, often shortened to just etiquette is an adhesive label used to indicate that a letter is to be sent by airmail.

Airmail Etiquettes (Stickers or labels): A sticker, or label, put on an envelope to indicate it is being sent air mail, is called an air mail "etiquette". They are/were produced by governments and private companies.

   Since the etiquettes are basically just notes to postal clerks, and have no monetary value, their printing and distribution need not be as carefully controlled as for postage stamps, and most are privately produced. The usual design is a plain blue oblong, with the phrases such as "AIR MAIL" and/or "PAR AVION" (French, traditionally the international mail language) in white letters. However, at various times, airlines and hotels have produced more elaborate designs, some quite attractive.

An 'airmail etiquette', often shortened to just 'etiquette', is an adhesive label used to indicate that a letter is to be sent by airmail. The airmail etiquette may be omitted if airmail stamps are used on the letter, and in some cases even this is not necessary if a country sends out all its foreign mail by air.

An early catalog of etiquettes was published in 1947 by Frank Muller; more recently the Postal Label Study Group has put out the ''Mair Airmail Label Catalog'', a 627-page work illustrating 3,289 types of etiquettes.

The airmail etiquette may be omitted if airmail stamps are used on the letter, and in some cases even this is not necessary if a country sends out all its foreign mail by air. In some countries, such as, the United Kingdom you may simply write "PAR AVION -- BY AIR MAIL" on the envelope, even though etiquettes are available free from post offices. 

As the use of airmail started gaining popularity there was a need to alert postal authorities that the mail was to be sent by air. Hence, mails were super scribed with the words “by air mail”. Soon air mails labels or etiquettes as they are called were issued, first by postal authorities and soon by airlines, hotels etc as these etiquettes did not have any value. Airmail etiquettes were soon issued in attractive colors and in a variety of shapes. Each country issued labels in their own language but the works “air mail” or “par avion” were mentioned on all etiquettes. Basic colors of blue, red & white somehow became the standard for all airmail etiquettes. Many countries cancelled or postmarked the label, perhaps that these should not be reused in the mistaken belief that etiquettes should be treated in same way as stamps.

++ An early catalog of etiquettes was published in 1947 by Frank Muller; more recently the Postal Label Study Group has put out the Mair Airmail Label Catalog, a 627-page work illustrating 3,289 types of etiquettes.

Use

Because the etiquettes are just instructions to postal clerks, and have no monetary value, their printing and distribution need not be as carefully controlled as for postage stamps, and most are privately produced. The usual design is a plain blue oblong, with the phrases "AIR MAIL" and/or "PAR AVION" in white letters. Airlines and hotels have also produced etiquettes, some quite attractive.

The airmail etiquette may be omitted if airmail stamps are used on the letter, and in some cases even this is not necessary if a country sends out all its foreign mail by air. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, you may simply write "PAR AVION -- BY AIR MAIL" on the envelope, even though etiquettes are available free from post offices.

History

With aviation developments, several countries started to experiment with flights, and postal authorities considered flying the mails. Initially flights were unofficial, but some flights such as the 1877 Buffalo balloon flight, carried mail, to which stamp-like labels were affixed. At the beginning airmail letters cost more than surface mail.

Both airmail stamps and stamps surcharged for airmail were issued, though some countries restricted the use of airmail stamps only to letters sent by airmail, while others allowed them to be used for other mail services.

Several of the early airmail stamps were produced by surcharging other stamps with overprints; in 1917, Italy used express stamps; regular stamps were used by Austria in 1918, and Sweden used official stamps in 1920.

 Some other examples are the use of fiscal stamps, telegraph stamps, postage due stamps, and parcel stamps by other countries. Airmail stamps have been issued for extra services, such as registered airmail, express airmail, airmail fieldpost, and even with welfare surcharges.

A new branch of collecting

In the 1920s and 1930s, when many countries issued airmail stamps to publicise their new airmail routes, a new branch of stamp collecting started. This led to an expansion that includes the collection of covers, and other postal items carried by aircraft Airmail items from the early days are expensive due to the popularity of this collecting area specialised catalogues and albums are produced for collectors of airmail stamps and other aerophilatelic items. Many airmail stamps feature aviation themes that are an area of topical stamp collecting.

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