A miniature model of the original Mauserа C-96 Pistol, model 1912.

This is one of the earliest models of automatic pistol in the world. A pilot model was tested as early as March 15, 1895.

Germany’s last Kaiser Wilhelm II was the first to shoot such pistol on August 20,1896, after which the model sprang into immediate popularity.
For instance, Winston Churchill carried such pistol during the Boer War (1899 —1902), who later was appointed as British Prime Minister.
The pistol became a cult weapon during the Russian Civil War (1918 — 1922) . Mauser pistols were popular among Red Army leaders and chief political officers, namely Semyon Budenny, Red Army Chief Cavalier, Commander of the First Horse Cavalry Army, who later was promoted to Army General of the Soviet Armed Forces.
Nestor Makhno, legendary Ukrainian bandit and strong anarchist, used a Mauser C-96 pistol as sidearm.
Mauser C-96 was used as the highest Bolshevik award at the beginning of the Soviet Union. Only three persons were awarded, namely Sergei Kamenev, Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Armed Forces, Semyon Budenny, Commander of the First Horse Cavalry Army and his Chief Political Officer Klim Voroshilov.

The miniature model of the pistol is decorated with white and yellow gold. A female image decorated with flowers can be seen at the left of the magazine case and a tiger image at the right of the same. The action frame bears two letters, ‘D’ and ‘S’, engraved in 24K gold.