DATE: Art Deco, c.1930

An elegant flintlock pistol pendant dating from the 1930s. The grip is adorned with two wonderfully intricate damascene panels, depicting gold floral and foliate motifs in stark contrast against the black oxidised steel (I've never seen one of these with damascene). The hammer and trigger are both fully operational, and if you can get your hands on some of the original caps it will work as intended. Crafted in gilt metal and (most probably) made by German manufacturer Maus (the name clearly inspired by the infamous Mauser handguns of the late 19th/early 20th centuries). 

Damascene is a technique of creating black contrast, usually with gold or silver, by inlaying oxidised steel to create intricate designs. The term was likely inspired by damask silk, named after Damascus, Syria, where it was produced. Some believe the jewellery technique is likely to have originated in the middle east, before spreading around the world via Muslim artisans. It involves scoring a design into a flattened piece of steel, then adding thin sections of gold or silver wire to create a sharp edge with the steel. Once the inlay is complete, the steel is darkened through exposure to heat, and finished by further etching to the gold/silver. The main regions of production, historically and to this day, are Spain (Toledo) and Japan (where it's known as Shakudō).

MEASUREMENTS 

4.1 x 2.1cm

WEIGHT 

8.3g

MARKS 

No marks present

CONDITION 

Good, mechanism is fully functional. Some wear to the gilding