The gavel was purchased and used as a prop for a holiday float celebrating Zonta Club of Lansing's 90th birthday.  Our float represented women decade by decade starting with the 1920's.  The gavel was used as part of the costume worn (a real judge's robe-loaned to the club) to represent the first Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day-O'Connor.  Carrying the gavel was a hit.  It fooled a number of people, made them think we had a real judge on the float.  The gavel is black heavy plastic and will hold up to all the pounding that anyone would use it to represent justice by the courts, or call to order by a meeting.  When I bought it, I failed to realize that it was plastic, thinking it was a black wood, but that is my error for not reading everything about it.  This could be used by adults and children.  Recommend this product.