That's a nice little pea-shooter you've got there. It could be as old as the patent date, or--- I'm thinking as late as the thirties. Someone around here should be able to clue you in at least to the date that they were discontinued, or even closer by the serial number.
Those little top breaks have been a hobby of mine, but I only have S&W's. Tons of them were produced by several manufacturers back at the turn of the century, and the first few decades of the 1900's. They did indeed start out during the black powder era, and most "experts" will tell you that you should shoot only BP loads in them. Another school of thought is that the pressures in the smokeless loads today have been kept down to accomidate these old revolvers.
I reload wimpy reloads for mine with smokeless powder, and shoot them quite a bit. If the top latch locks up good and tight, and there is no loosness in the hinge and frame when it is closed, it is indeed in good condition, and able to withstand at least limited fireing. Yours is in such nice condition that it may have been of later manufacture, and not have seen black powder use which left many of these pistols in a very corroded condition.
Here's a couple that I currently have and enjoy very much. jd