[brianp-beme]

Tom S. posted in the International Card thread an example of the very scarce black and white action cards known as the Sociedade Industrial dos Tabacos de Angola. I have posted another example below from the set that I found on the internet.

My question is, where were these cards produced and or/distributed? I have read a couple of theories, including that it is a South American issue (the 1928 Tabacalera La Morena that is believed to have been issued in El Salvador shares the same checklist), and that it was produced in Portugal for Angolan distribution.

As far as I can tell, the backsides of the Sociedade Industrial dos Tabacos de Angola are written in Portuguese. The only Central or South American country where Portuguese is widely spoken is Brazil. If the Tabacalera La Morena cards, which have Spanish text on back, are from El Salvador, then Brazil would be the only real possibility for the Sociedade Industrial dos Tabacos de Angola cards if they were indeed a South American issue. And being from the same neck of the world's wood makes sense, being that these sets share the same photos/checklist.

On the other hand, I have also read that they were produced in Portugal for distribution in Angola. Angola is a country in southwest Africa, and the main language in Angola is Portuguese, so that lines up. But how/why would these sets share the same photos? And was Angola a market for these cards? I have a sneaky feeling that, in a somewhat similar fashion as the Bulgaria Cigarettes cards, whose product and cards were actually produced in Germany, the Angola name is for where the tobacco product came from.

Any thoughts?

Brian (card shown from Prewar card site)



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