236. Brand Names That Became Everyday Pinoy Words #6: MONGOL PENCIL

MONGOL PRINT AD, 1964

Nowhere in the world is the MONGOL more popular than in the Philippines—where the name has become synonymous with “pencils”. MONGOL was a creation of John Eberhard Faber (b. 6 Dec. 1822/ d. 2 Mar. 1879), a German-American who founded  a pencil manufacturing company in new York in 1861.

There are different reported dates of its manufacture, but it started advertising in the U.S.in the early 1900. The best graphite used in the production of pencils supposedly came from the eastern parts of the globe like Siberia, which inspired manufacturers to name their pencils after easter and middle-eastern places like Mikado and Mongol. 

In the Philippines, it was introduced before World War II by American Rolland E. Thompson, who brought the pencils in their trademark woodcases through his Rennolds Enterprises Inc., a Philippine corporation that was working in tandem with H.G. Henares & Sons, Incorporated.

In 1963, 1963, H.G. Henares & Sons, Inc. formed a new company Amalgamated Specialties Corporation (AMSPEC). Resultantly, everything within the manufacturing facilities formerly owned by H.G. Henares & Sons, Inc. for the making of the woodcase "MONGOL" pencil were transferred to AMSPEC, which, thereafter,  was acquired by Rolland E.Thompson, his family and other local investors.

MONGOL TRADE AD, 1902. Source: contapunalism.blog

In the years that followed, AMSPEC spent considerable amount in advertising and promoting its MONGOL Pencils,  enabling it to gain market leadership. The MONGOL Pencil business flourished (MONGOL No. 2 was favored)  and the mark "MONGOL" through time was associated by the purchasing public with AMSPEC as the source and origin of high quality pencils.

MONGOL PRINT AD, 1965

 AMSPEC rose to become as a leading  manufacturer and distributor of the best quality and user-safe school & office supplies to the Filipino market such as Crayola, Li’l Hands, Jumbo Pencils, Magic Touch, Touch and Go, Gold Medal and  Old Town carbon paper.

For many years, AMSPEC was the authorized producer of MONGOL, under license by Eberhardt Faber U.S., in the Philippine market, then later acquired by Faber-Castell USA. MONGOL was also licensed to Eberhardt Faber de Venezuela for that market, which was sold separately to Newell.

Faber-Castell USA was next sold to Newell (Sanford). This license to AMSPEC continued, but Newell ended this agreement around 2008, after the principal owner and CEO of AMSPEC passed away.

LIMITED EDITION NINOY-CORY MONGOLS. Photo: penciltalk.org

AMSPEC ceased MONGOL production, but the brand didn’t disappear –a new supplier, Star Paper Corp. began distributing Venezuelan –made MONGOLs in the country. One of MONGOL’S distinctive limited edition product was the “iamninoy iamcory” MONGOL Pencils. AMSPEC, on the other hand, began making pencils under the brand name “T- Pencil”.

MONGOL STAMP, 1999. Photo: penciltalk.org

MONGOL Pencils continue to be popular in the Philippines and are highly regarded as part of the early education of Filipinos. In fact, stamp showing a MONGOL pencil, was issued by the Philippine Postal Corp. to mark the brand’s 50^th year in the Philippines.

MONGOL NO. 2. Photo: lazada.ph

There are so many imitators of MONGOL today, leading Berol Corp., a wholly owned company of Newell Rubbermaid, the trademark owner of MONGOL, to warn the public of fake MONGOL Pencils flooding the country. But to Pinoys, one thing is clear—it ain’t a pencil, if it ain’t a MONGOL!

SOURCES:

AMSPEC Case:

http://onlineservices.ipophil.gov.ph/ipcaselibrary/ipcasepdf/IPC14-2008-00135.pdf

Just When Was the Mongol Introduced: https://contrapuntalism.blog/2015/01/23/just-when-was-the-mongol-introduced/

64. BACK-TO-SCHOOL? BACK TO YESTERDAY'S SCHOOL SUPPLIES!

PRODUCT LINES OF H.G. HENARES &  SONS as of 1961.

As a new schoolyear begins, the hunt is on for new school supplies needed by students to get through another year of learning, experimenting, solving problems and making reports. In the 50s, there were already established stores that carried school supplies from leading distributors and manufacturers. H. G. Henares & Sons, Inc. was one such enterprise, established by Hilarion Henares Sr. back in 1939. By 1961, it operated an industrial complex that manufactured  crayons, school chalks, water color, erasers, paste and other school supplies. It held the exclusive license to manufacture the famous Gold Medal Crayola brand of crayons (1953), Old Town Carbon Paper and Typewriter Ribbons (1955) and Parker Quink Ink (1956).

CORONA SUPPLY, Print Ad, 1955

Meanwhile, student so mathematics, geometry and engineering can get their compasses, protractors, rulers and triangles from Corona Supply Co., established way back in 1920. It was known for its imported school and office supplies carrying name brands like Staetler and Faber Castell.

CASTELL SLIDE RULE, Print Ad, 1959

 The best-selling product among students of engineering were the Castell Slide Rules--used for trigonometric functions mostly---and now an extinct educational tool replaced by new and powerful calculators.

VASQUEZ BROS.&CO. INC. Print Ad, 1955

Aside from Corona, Vasquez Bros. was another happy hunting ground for school supplies and educational materials. It had branches in Recto, Sta. Cruz and Quiapo and was just as well-known as Goodwill and National Book Store in those days.

MONGOL PENCIL, Print Ad, 1964

No one got through school without a pencil--the basic instrument for writing. And when one mentions pencils, the top-of-mind brand is undoubtedly, Mongol. The pencil was an original product of Eberhard Faber, a pencil factory in Germany. As mentioned, Henares & Sons acquired the license to manufacture the world-renowned pencils, until Amalgamated Specialties Corp. took over. Today, Mongol Pencils--the most popular brand patronized by Filipino students--are manufactured in China.

OLD TOWN CARBON PAPER, Print Ad, 1965

For making duplicates of book reports and theses, Old Town Carbon Paper was indispensable--it made copies fast, without smudges and blurs. Like Mongol, it was manufactured by Amspec,

PARKER QUINK INK, Print Ad, 1957

Time was when the use of fountain pens was limited to students of means and to elite private schools. The ink of choice was the revolutionary Quink made by Parker Pen Company. Unlike other water inks, it was alcohol-based so it dried by absorption, rather than evaporation.  A washable version--perfect for messy students--was introduced in 1957.

 Remember, it really doesn't matter whether your school supplies were bought from Divisoria or from National Book Store. What matters more is acquiring an education so that you become a better version of yourself!