A fake book hides a secret gun
Wars were a constant for much of human history, and in times of conflict, powerful individuals went to great lengths to ensure their safety. This sometimes meant getting inventive with their weapons, as was the case with this “bible-gun” that was made for the then Doge of Venice, Francesco Morosini. You have to admire the unexpectedness of building a gun disguised as a bible.
The Doge certainly needed all the protection he could afford since his rule was during the height of the Great Turkish War in the 17th century, and he must have had many enemies. It was designed so that the pistol could be fired without opening the book, by pulling on a silk bookmark.