Mexican Centennial “King Gambrinus” Advertising Inkstand (1910)

This piece of Mexican breweriana blends commercial advertising with national history, serving as both a commemorative corporate gift and a functional desk accessory.

Description

The inkstand cast from white metal features a classic symmetrical layout with a central pen tray flanked by two inkwells.

Front Inscription

Running along the lower front ledge, cast in raised, serif block letters, is the following Spanish text:

OBSEQUIO DE LA COMPAÑIA CERVECERA TOLUCA, MEXICO S.A.

• Translation: “Gift of the Toluca Beer Company, Mexico S.A.”
• Context: The word Obsequio confirms this was produced as a high-end promotional gift or presentation piece—likely distributed to favored distributors, high-ranking executives, or government offices during the celebrations.

Commemorative Dates

Flanking the central figure on the hinged, shield-shaped lids of the inkwells are two distinct years:

• Left Lid: 1810
• Right Lid: 1910“.

While 1910 marked a massive milestone for Mexico, it is worth noting a common point of confusion about this specific piece: these dates do not celebrate the brewery’s centennial, but rather the Centennial of Mexican Independence. In September 1910, President Porfirio Díaz hosted a massive, month-long national celebration to mark 100 years since Miguel Hidalgo’s Grito de Dolores (the 1810 call to revolution). Major corporations across Mexico, heavily backed by Porfiriato-era industrial capital, custom-manufactured high-quality commemorative items like this inkstand to align their brands with the patriotic fervor of the national Jubilee.

The Old Brewery: Cervecería Toluca y México

The Compañía Cervecera Toluca y México, S.A. boasts a rich history as one of the true pioneers of the modern Mexican brewing industry.

• The Beginnings (1865): The brewery was originally founded in 1865 in the city of Toluca by a Swiss immigrant named Agustín Marendaz.
• The German Era (1875): In 1875, Marendaz sold the operation to a German immigrant, Santiago Graf (James Graf). Under Graf’s leadership, the brewery revolutionized Mexican beer production. In the early 1880s, Graf imported large-scale commercial ice machines from Germany, making Cervecería Toluca the very first brewery in Mexico successfully capable of producing true, cold-fermented lager-style beers in a climate that had previously restricted production to top-fermented ales.
• The Birth of an Icon: Graf’s masterstroke was introducing a Vienna-style amber lager named Victoria. It became immensely popular and remains the longest standing continuously brewed beer brand in Mexico.
• Later History: The brewery survived the upheaval of the Mexican Revolution (which kicked off late in 1910, just after these centennial celebrations). In 1935, the sprawling brewery was purchased by Grupo Modelo (the makers of Corona). While the original historic brewery plant in downtown Toluca eventually closed its production lines and has since been converted into the Centro Tolzú cultural center, the Victoria brand born there continues to be a staple worldwide.

The Identity of the “King-Like” Figure

The imposing, bearded figure raising a drinking vessel at the apex of the inkstand is not an Aztec ruler or a Spanish monarch, but rather a mythic European symbol deeply tied to brewing folklore: King Gambrinus.

Who was King Gambrinus?

In European tradition, Gambrinus is a legendary cultural hero, king, or duke celebrated as the “King of Beer” or the unofficial “Patron Saint of Brewing.” He represents the jovial, bountiful spirit of beer drinking, carousing, and brewing excellence.

Iconography on the Inkstand

The figure on this inkstand displays the textbook iconography of Gambrinus used in late 19th and early 20th-century brewery advertisements:

• The Attire: He wears an ermine-trimmed, heavy royal robe (mantón) draped over his shoulders, secured with a prominent crest or medallion on his chest plate.
• The Crown: He wears a distinctively styled medieval crown or cap.
• The Attributes: In his right hand, he holds aloft a filled beer chalice or stein, lifting it in a perpetual toast. In his left hand, he firmly grasps a royal scepter.

Why is he on a Mexican piece?

Because Cervecería Toluca was deeply rooted in German brewing traditions, technologies, and brewmasters (via Santiago Graf and subsequent management), they heavily utilized traditional Germanic brewing imagery in their branding. Gambrinus frequently appeared on their lithographed advertising trays, beer labels, and promotional statues during the Porfiriato era to lend an air of authentic, Old-World brewing prestige to their Mexican-made lager.