This 2mm caliber pistol is an original Berloque Pistölchen made in the 1930s. Manufactured by Gerhard Göbharter GmbH in Groß-Siegharts, Austria and first developed by watchmaker Franz Pfannl, this miniature firearm comes complete with its original box and bullets.
Pfannl began producing Berloque, or “watch fob,” pistols in 1897. Most were made in Austria until the mid-1930s, when Japan and Germany began producing their own versions of these tiny firearms. These charming and fully functional miniatures, often attached to jewelry, are renowned as the “World’s Smallest Pistol.” Their intricate design and limited production make them highly sought-after collectibles.
The pistol fires pinfire “caps” that make a noise but do not fire a projectile. The Pinfire system was one of the earliest cartridge designs. It featured a pin protruding at a right angle from the cartridge case. When struck by the hammer the pin ignited the powder charge, firing the cartridge.
This marvel comes from the collection of and is dedicated to the memory of Robert W. Newman (1910-1989), an avid gun collector from Baraboo, Wisconsin.
