Fonds jas-2590 - Joseph A. Weiss fonds

Identity area

Reference code

jas-2590

Title

Joseph A. Weiss fonds

Date(s)

  • 1896-1993; predominant 1926 - 1960 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

43 cm of textual records. -- 1623 photographs. --52 glass slides. --69 artifacts. -- 8 books.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Joseph A. Weiss (1896-1993) was a professional photographer at Jasper and Edmonton, Alberta. Weiss was born in Switzerland and moved to Jasper in 1926, where he worked as a photographer, ski guide and mountaineering guide. In the late 1920s he skied into the eastern slopes of Marmot Mountain and found the area that he later called Marmot Basin. In the 1930s he blazed the first trail into the Basin from the Athabasca Valley for downhill ski enthusiasts. The Lovat Scouts hired Weiss as one of their instructors when they trained in mountain warfare in the Jasper area during the Second World War. Weiss began his photographic business in the early 1930s, specializing in guiding, outfitting and skiing and the production of commercial postcards. From 1945 to 1955, he operated a photography shop in Jasper and after 1955 he manned a look-out at the Palisades in Jasper National Park. Weiss has a mountain in the Winston Churchill range named after him. He died in February, 1993.

Archival history

These records were a gift of the Joe Weiss Estate and were delivered to the Jasper Yellowhead Museum and Archives by Mr. Alan Ballash.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Caroline Lovig, Assistant Trust Officer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The fonds consists of photographs, documents, artifacts, slides and negatives. Artifacts consists mostly of camera equipement. Photographs are related to the time Joe Weiss lived in Jasper. Includes views of various expeditions such as Bedaux, Speckles, Bennett, Kingman and others. Views of skiing, fishing and hunting. Also includes buildings in the town site as well as Jasper Park Lodgeand other outlaying areas. The construction of the Astoria River dam and pipeline and the Pyramid Mountain microvave tower are also represented. Joe Weiss photographed the Lovat Scouts and the Para Rescue unit which trained in Jasper. Included in the photgraphs series is a group of portraits too numerous to list. Documents pertain to Joe Weiss and include Swiss correspondence, newspaper clippping, artistic information about his photographs, government documents and general information about his life.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further accruals are not expected

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

There are no restrictions on access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • the material is in english.

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Some glass slides are in fragile condition.

Finding aids

Series level description available

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

The Whyte Museum and Archives, Provincial Archives of Alberta and the University of Alberta Archives also have material on Joe Weiss.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Record No. ID89;994.56<br><br>

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

joseph-weiss-fonds

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

2015-08-07

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places