Phillip Creamer on the Blog

[G-Man]

There is a really great early 19th century flint pistol by Phillip Creamer on Art and Jan's site today.  As someone who was unfamiiliar with Creamer's work until about the past year, I am really stunned by the examples I have seen.  It is amazing to see the work he was doing in what was then the western frontier - really incredible iron work and just a feel of qualty that you see on fine London guns of the day.

There is a lot of emerging interest in these early gunmakers working west of the Appalachians and it is becoming apparent they made some remarkable things. Creamer is even know to have made pieces for Andrew Jackson.  There is a great reproduction by Bob Browner of the Jackson pistol, with engraving by Layne Zuelke, that the CLA will be auctioning at the 2013 show in Lexington this August.

Do any of you guys who know more about Creamer have any thoughts on where he got all the English style influence from in his work?  Did he learn that style from someone or was he just following a popular trend of the time and getting really proficient at it?

Guy

[Buck]

What is Art and Jans site?
Buck

[Bob Roller]

 The lock on that Creamer repro is one of mine that I did as a very rare custom
job for Bob Browner.

Bob Roller

[G-Man]

Art and Jan Riser have the Contemporay Makers Blogspot site - here is a link to the Creamer pistol:

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2013/04/phillip-creamer.html

Guy

[Majorjoel]

I was just reading a piece about Phil Creamer recently. If my memory is correct I believe he had the one and only Jim Bridger as one of his many apprentices. I will try and find the article.

[Majorjoel]

Guy, do you have a copy of the KRA Brown book? On page 267 there is one of the best historical articles: "Philip Creamer One of Maryland's and Illinois Best" by Daniel D. Hartzler. Includes several longrifles and pistol photograghs along with a very colorful biograghy on Creamers life. Included is the story I mentioned about Jim Bridger's apprenticeship. Mr. Hartzler also used some background information regarding his life in Illinois borrowed and noted from Curt Johnson's books on Illinois gunsmiths. Maybe Curt will chime in here. Anyway, Philip Creamer was one of the most interesting gunsmiths of his era and quite a master of his craft.

[Buck]

Thanks Guy,
I have had the chance to hold this particular pistol in my hands, it is a Barn Burner. Great piece in immaculate condition.
Buck

[Curt J]

I too, have held this pistol in my hands, and was even allowed to take some photographs of it. It is magnificent!  I devoted 16 1/2 pages  to  Philip Creamer  (His name has one "L") in Vol. I, of Gunmakers Of Illinois, 1683-1900, so I'm not sure where to start, as far as comments. There is only one other gunsmith on the Western Frontier, who could be compared to Creamer.  That would be John Small, at Vincennes. It's worthy of note, that both of them also made surveyor's compasses, and other delicate instruments, as well as firearms.