Blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack

Blackjack

Object number2019.166.1
MediumLeather; Metal; Fabric; Adhesive; Paint
Credit LineGift of Maxine P. Brunwasser
DescriptionBlack, leather blackjack. Blackjack has short, baton-shaped body covered in polished leather with weighted ends; one end is larger than the other. Spring in the middle of body allows it to bend slightly in any direction. Tape has been wrapped around just below the smaller end of the body and appears to have been painted black. Leather piece slides onto body of blackjack and has a black strip of leather attached on both sides forming a loop.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 13.5 x 5.25 x 1.125 in. (34.3 x 13.3 x 2.9 cm)
Historical NotesSidney "Bruno" Brunwasser used this blackjack during his time in law enforcement. Blackjacks are club weapons and were favored by law enforcement due to their small size and use in close combat. Brunwasser, a civil servant in Pittsburgh, started his career as a tester for the Allegheny County Bureau of Tests and a street inspector for the City of Pittsburgh. In 1934, he was appointed deputy sheriff in the Third Ward, which includes Uptown and the Lower and Middle Hill Districts. He was elected Third Ward Republican Chairman in 1936. With the backing of Third Ward Democratic Alderman James Luvuola, Brunwasser successfully ran for Third Ward Constable on the Democratic ticket in 1939 and retained the position through several subsequent elections. He was a Democratic committeeman in the Third Ward for 54 years. He later moved to the prothonotary’s office, where he stayed until his retirement in 1964.
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