Suchard Chocolate Company French Colony Photo Album

French Indochina:

Laos:

Laos was a part of the colony of French Indochina. The French regime allowed Laos an internal autonomy and so the Royal family continued their rule over Laos, albeit with restricted power. In 1950, Laos, headed by King Sisavang Vong, was declared independent constitutional monarchy but under the French Union. In November 9, 1953, Laos gained its full independence.

Six cards were issued by Suchard company depicting photos from Laos:

Pha Ong Sene, Great Buddha statue in Wat Sene Souk Haram, a Buddhist temple in the city of Luang Prabang, the Royal capital of Laos.

Wat Xieng Thong ("Temple of the Golden City") was built in 1559-1560 by the Lao King Setthathirath in the city of Luang Prabang. Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion and traditional art. This photo was used as a model to design the first postage stamps of the Kingdom of Laos in 1952:

French Indochina:

Laos:

The Mekong River is one of the longest rivers in the world, has a length of 4880 km. It runs from the Tibetan plateau through Laos to Vietnam. It is known in Laos as "Ménam Khong" meaning "mother of all rivers".

The Wat Aham is a small temple in the temple city of Luang Prabang. It has a history of both Buddhism and spirit worship. The temple was built in 1818 on the site of a much older temple dating back to 1527.

Outside the temple, are stone statues representing Hanuman and Ravana, two characters from the Phra Lak Phra Ram, the Laos version of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The photo shows Hanuman, one of the statues.

French Indochina:

Laos:

Lao village - the traditional Lao house made of a thatched wooden structure built on stilts to catch breezes, avoid flooding and insect infestation and leave space beneath the living area for grain, domestic animal cultivation and a loom. This kind of houses found mainly in the rural areas of Laos.

The Pha That Luang is a Buddhist stupa in Vientiane, Laos. It was built in the 16th century under King Sethathirath on the ruins of an earlier 13th century Khmer temple. The stupa became a symbol of Lao nationalism.

French Indochina:

Cambodia:

French Indochina:

Cambodia:

French Indochina:

Cochin-China (today Vietnam):

French Indochina:

Cochin-China (today Vietnam):

French Indochina:

Cochin-China (and one card from French territory in China):

Note: card no. 262 shows street in Tchekam, in Kouang-Tchéou-Wan, a territory on the coast of Zhanjiang in China leased to France and administered by French Indochina.

French Settlements of Oceania (Établissements français de l'Océanie)

New Caledonia and Wallis Island:

America

Guadeloupe and Martinique:

America:

French Guyana:

Near East (French Levant):

French Mandate for Syria (note, cards number 295 and 298):




French mandate territories in Africa:

Cameroon and Togo:

The above six cards are the last group of Suchard album for French Colony photos contains 300 cards in total. Hope you enjoy the album!