Jeu du Musée de la Compagnie des Indes

“Compagnie des Indes” is a generic name for any company which was based in a European country and which traded with one of that country’s colonies. In the case of France, that meant companies trading principally with Africa, India and China. In this pack, the Compagnie des Indes itself and its founders are represented on the spades suit, trade with China is the subject of the suit of diamonds, trade with Africa is shown on the clubs suit, while statuettes from India can be found on the hearts suit. The arms of the East Indies Company are on the red Joker, with the arms of the western equivalent on the black Joker. The latter version was adopted by the overall company, the Compagnie des Indes, from 1719, the year it was founded by the Scot, John Law. See the leaflet

Spades - the founders

Diamonds - trade with China

Clubs - trade with Africa

Hearts - statuettes from India

Above: Jeu du Musée de la Compagnie des Indes printed by Héron for Ed. Le Diouris, Vannes, France. Published by the Musée de la Compagnie des Indes, Port-Louis, France, c1988. 52 cards + 2 Jokers + 1 extra card + leaflet in French, in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm.

See the box