Jeu du Musée de la Compagnie des Indes
Paintings and treasured objects from the Indies, on display in a museum in Port-Louis.
“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
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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