Identity area
Reference code
Title
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
Notes area
Note
Record No. ID89;994.56<br><br>
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Weiss, Joseph (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
2015-08-07
Language(s)
- English