Saint John

Let Tin Toys Become a Part of Design and Fashion

Marvin Chan

Hong Kong born graphic designer Marvin Chan has amassed a collection of over 10,000 old Chinese toys and trinkets, earning him the nickname “King of Toys.”

His passion for antique toys led to the creation of Marxu International, which began as a tiny tin toy factory in Shanghai.

He continues to produce classic toys and novelties using the same methods as in old Shanghai during the 1930’s to 1960’s, albeit with some experimentation and modern twists.

Unique and collectible, Marvin’s tin toys, each packaged to best tell its special story, offer fond memories and lasting happiness.

"I Have a Dream"

From the first Shanghai-made tin toy I collected in 1989,it has been twenty-seven years now. In the past, the media has asked me the same question: "What makes me always stick to my old Shanghai toy collection?" Because the antique toy market in the 1980s and 1990s was dominated by Western and Japanese antique toys.

Some friends in the toy collection industry also sneered at my choice of collecting old Chinese toys, thinking that I don't know how to collect toys. Even my father and family members think that I am inexplicably fascinated and play with things and not support. 

In addition to helplessness, the only thing I can do is to insist on my special passion for Shanghai old toys. My dream is to stick to my efforts and one day I will have my own Chinese toy museum. I firmly believe that Shanghai old toys will have a very good return on investment in the collection market.

I firmly believe that if I can produce my own brand of tin toys in the future, it must be a new generation of tin toys combined with fashion, rather than the Western customers think of another China made cheap tin toys, low-quality Chinese-made tin toy.

Finally in 2005, 11 years ago, the world's first China Museum of Shanghai Toys was born in Singapore. In 2008, also because of an opportunity, Saint John Tin Toys brand was born.

Saint John Tin Toy

Saint John was originally a Shanghai-based processing tin toy factory established in 1995. In March 2008, this tin toy factory was on the verge of bankruptcy due to the decrease of foundries.

I returned to Shanghai with a passion and a dream, and hoped to make another effort for the future concept and innovation direction of Shanghai tin toys. After years of hard work the SAINT JOHN brand has been repositioned and repackaged to make the tin toys made in Shanghai more fashionable, younger and more artistic.

Saint John has slowly entered the mid-to-high-end designer concept store market, with products such as Roxy clockwork iron robot, Fire Captain clockwork iron robot, large M-65 clockwork iron robot, classic British Sunbeam iron clockwork racing car making many adults regain their popular goals of childlike and boutique collections.

In addition to sales to Europe, Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States, Australia and other countries, as well as Asia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and other places, Saint John also entered South Korea last year.

In China, in addition to Shanghai, there are Suzhou, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Beijing, Fuzhou and Guangzhou cities, a total of more than 20 sales points to sell Saint John brand metal toys. Looking forward to the future, Saint John will continue to participate in various fields of products such as lifestyle, fashion and chocolate, which are based on the concept of tin toys, and continue to expand and promote.

Today, the media no longer asks why I have always insisted on my own Chinese toy collection. I have already asked me: "Do you still insist on collecting Chinese old toys?" I said yes. Because that is my dream. Just like the American Martin Luther King said, "I have a dream." Although dreams have different sizes, many great dreams are combined by small dreams. The key is whether we are willing to stick to the end. Thanks to all those fools who support us with dreams.

“Let tin toys become a part of design and fashion”. That is the brand mission of SAINT JOHN.