Delandre is the most famous French publisher of propaganda vignettes; his real name was Gaston Aime Camille Fontanille (born May 11, 1883).
Delandre was arrested many times for various other schemes, including setting up a chemical company whose directors he appointed from among several prominent businessmen without their knowledge, and selling noble titles of dubious status.
After several fraudulent operations, this notary’s son from Valence settled under the alias Delandre in the former “Daily Mail” premises at 14–16 Rue du Petit-Hotel. He appropriated the grand title of “Director General of the Army Stamps Administration.”
One of Delandre’s many schemes was the invention of the Delandre vignette, a popular form of label or poster during World War I. He began by reproducing Italian regimental vignettes when the supply of originals proved insufficient for his needs. He then expanded to include French Army stamps, and ultimately produced more than 4,000 different patriotic stamps.
In reality, Delandre vignettes were intended to enrich their creator. Their publication was halted in June 1917.
To raise funds, the French Red Cross asked him to produce similar stamps. Despite selling the stamps, Delandre did not pay the Red Cross its share of the proceeds, and in 1917 he was arrested.
By 1925 he had ended up in Marseille and, under the name Baron Edmond Picard, began a new fraud by launching a charity to fight leprosy. On the verge of being exposed, he took his own life by poisoning himself on March 10, 1927. He was buried under the name Edmond Picard until his true identity was discovered a few months later.
Despite their questionable origins, Delandre vignettes represent a genuine page of history. Indeed, the greatest artists and illustrators of the time contributed to depicting the various military branches.