A curious mixture of romantic visionary and practical businessman, André Citroën knew a promising invention when he saw one.

While travelling through Poland at the age of 22, he had visited a foundry and there noticed an unfamiliar type of gearwheel that used V-shaped teeth.

He immediately recognised the potential of this design and bought the patent, setting up André Citroën & Cie in the rue Saint-Denis near the Gare du Nord to develop a way of manufacturing his new double-helical gears.

During WWI Citroën held the rank of captain in the French Army and was charged with organising the mass production of munitions.

Seeking to speed up the manufacture of artillery shells, he built a new factory at the Quai de Javel on the left bank of the Seine, from which the first Citroën cars would emerge after the cessation of hostilities bearing their maker's distinctive double-chevron badge – a reference to his helical gears.

Citroen's first truly outstanding design, the Type C was introduced...