by R. G. Lafrenière

published by Bird Bear Press, October 2020

The Bonne Année 1920 stamps comprise a large series of over 400 stamps with Merry Christmas 1919, Happy New Year 1920 or patriotic/peace slogans, and many mention the name of a city in France, England, or another country. For a century, the origins of the Bonne Annèe 1920 stamps have been a mystery. New research has revealed the source: Gaston Fontanille, better known as “Delandre”, a notorious con man who produced over 3500 WWI military, Red Cross and patriotic stamps. 

This book details how Delandre produced the Bonne Année 1920 stamps, and some porte-timbre stamps, under the auspices of a fake charity to raise funds for the war-devastated regions of France. Colour images complement a revised listing of the stamps. A detailed timeline of the major events in his life helps us better understand Delandre, the genius and the scoundrel behind the stamps.

Format: 6 x 9 inches, softcover, 136 pages, 30 colour plates, 168 references, 4-page index.

CHAPTERS

1. THE STAMPS

2. ILLUSTRATED LIST OF STAMPS

3. ORIGIN OF THE STAMPS

4. PORTE-TIMBRE STAMPS

5. ARTISTS

6. GASTON FONTANILLE TIMELINE

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX 1

APPENDIX 2

INDEX

price: CD$21.99 + shipping

Estimated shipping costs (1 book):

Canada: CD$5.00.

International: CD$15.00.