Help Identify Pewter figurine circa WWI?

[casstrader]

Maker's Mark

[argon38 · Accepted solution]

I'm afraid I have no explanation for the "three wise monkeys" parody design, but I think your item may be later than the soldiers' appearances suggest.

"MOD. DEP." stands for "modello depositato" in Italian ( the equivalent of modèle déposé in French), meaning registered design:

The “MOD DEP” is an abbreviation for modèle depose, a French term meaning registered design.  Registered designs used in Europe are similar to an American design patent.  Since the item contains no number, the abbreviation may mean the design application has not yet been approved, much like “PAT. PENDING” in the U.S.

An eBay search revealed dozens of items ranging from bottles, figurines, and metallic tabletop accessories that are marked “MOD. DEP.”  Although some objects were French in origin, most came from Italy.  The form, shape, and pattern of the objects suggest a post-World War II manufacturing date sometime in the 1950s and 1960s.'

https://www.harryrinker.com/col-1497.html 

The copyright symbol © visible in your first photo also suggests a later date than WWI. But the rest is still a mystery.

[casstrader]

That is fabulous!  Thank you for such a detailed, insightful response.  I greatly appreciate it.  🙂  

[argon38]

Glad to help, but I still wish I understood the actual significance of the item (it is quite unusual). Others may be able to dig up further clues.

[janetpjohn_la]

I can't find anything for the big B. Peltro just means pewter.
Janet

[casstrader]

This figurine belonged to my late Grandfather.  My Grandfather died in 1982 at the age of 92, so it's almost impossible to determine when and where my Grandfather obtained this figurine.  

[maxine*j]

The guns look like shotguns, not rifles.  That and the style of the hats makes me wonder if these are hunters, rather than soliders.  (Although it could still be a wartime image, mind you, of resistance fighters.)  Anyhow, just a thought to maybe search for hunters as well as soldiers. 

[casstrader]

Excellent!! Thank you

[maxine*j]

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@argon38 wrote:

The copyright symbol © visible in your first photo also suggests a later date than WWI. But the rest is still a mystery.

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I'm not sure it matters, but I think that is a Registered Trademark symbol, rather than a Copyright symbol --  ® rather than ©

The Registered Trademark symbol was introduced in the U.S. in 1946, but I know nothing of its use (if it is used) by non-U.S. entities.