Pics attached below. Overall views of the pistol and some closer looks at the decorative elements.
The white stuff is a caked-on powdery substance, similar to metal polish, which I suspect to be furniture polish or similar applied a long while ago, and in far too great a quantity. I am currently endeavouring to remove this with white spirit and a lot of brushing with nylon toothbrushes, as it is (as you can see) quite hideous. It was removed relatively easily from the (nielloed) silver decorations on the barrel.
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