The Nicholas Morant fonds consists of Morant's freelance work from his early days with the Winnipeg Free Press to his retirement from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1981. It is national in scope and also includes some international material. The fonds is comprised of three series: I. Photograp…
Nicholas Everard Morant, 1910-1999, was a professional photographer based at Banff, Alberta, Canada. He was a Canadian commercial photographer of international repute and Canada's premier railway photographer of the 20th century.
Morant was born at Kamloops, British Columbia, the son of Francis and Mollie Morant. After attending the University School at Victoria, Morant served as Special Photographer to the CPR from 1929 to 1935 and again from 1944 to 1981. From 1935 to 1939, he was a cameraman for the Winnipeg Free Press, and from 1940 to 1944 worked with the Wartime Information Branch of the federal government (later to be known as the National Film Board Stills Division).
Morant had a prolific career as a freelance commercial, portrait, magazine, landscape and documentary photographer. His work appeared in numerous books and magazines, including Time, Life, Liberty, Saturday Evening Post, (Toronto) Star Weekly, Northern Sportsman, Reader's Digest, Country Guide, The Standard, National Home Monthly, Canadian Photography, Outdoor Canada, National Geographic, the Globe & Mail, Winnipeg Tribune, New York Daily News, and the two Canadian Pacific Railway magazines, The Spanner and Rail News.
Two wartime images were featured on postage stamps, while three landscape views appeared on Canadian $10, $50 and $100 bills. His images were also used for corporate annual reports, postcards, brochures, calendars and advertisements. From the 1950s to 1980s Morant gave public slide shows of his work, two of the most popular being "A Talk Without Words" and "The World At Your Feet".
Morant married Ivy May "Willie" Young in 1936 when he was a photographer with the Winnipeg Free Press. Beginning in 1929, and until the end of her life, Morant's travelling and working companion was his wife, "Willie," 1910-1986.
Scope & Content
The Nicholas Morant fonds consists of Morant's freelance work from his early days with the Winnipeg Free Press to his retirement from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1981. It is national in scope and also includes some international material. The fonds is comprised of three series: I. Photography; II. Professional records; III. Personal and family records.
I. Photography series consists of: A. Negatives and transparencies, B. Transparencies, C. Prints, D. Other photographs. II. Professional records series consists of: A. Working records, B. Career records, C. Topical files. III. Personal and family records series consists of: A. Nick and Willie Morant, B. Nick Morant funeral and memorial, C. Francis and Mollie Morant, D. Collected material
Notes
Full summary of sub-sub-series levels:
I / A : 1) Darkroom Files [ a) Negative Albums b) Black/White Series I and II c) Colour Series I and II
d) Leica Negs ]
2) GD Files
I / B : 1) Presentations [ a) Topical Files b) Thematic Files ]
2) General Files
3) Other
I / C : 1) Print Files
I / D : 1) Exhibition and Display Prints
2) Photographs used by John Garden
3) Other Photographs
II / A : 1) Log Books
2) Notebooks
II / B : 1) Career Binders [ a) Postcards b) Brochures and Advertising c) clippings and articles
d) Calendar Photographs ]
2) Scrapbooks [ a) Content 1933 - 1946 b) Content 1940 - 1980 ]
II / C : 1) Numbered / Titled Files [ a) Group A b) Group B c) Group C d) Group D e) Group H
f) Group P g) Group R ]
2) Other Topical Files [ a) Railway; i) Timetables ii) Publications iii) Other
b) Photography; i) Textual Records ii) Print Material
c) Travel d) Exhibitions and Galleries e)Personal f) Other ]
3) Postcards, Greeting Cards and Ephemera Collection
4) Published Images and Text
5) Professional Photography
6) Promotional Items, Awards and Correspondence
7) Presentation and Interview Materials
III / A : 1) Correspondence
2) Personal Papers [ a) Personal Records b) Notes and Notebooks c) Lists and Card Files
d) Awards and Retirement ]
3) Personal Photographs
4) House Records [ a) Construction b) Household Records ]
5) Business, Financial and Legal Papers
6) Interviews, Reminiscences Personal Recordings
7) Other Records (Signs, Cartoons, Drawings, etc.)
8) Personal Correspondence and Notes
9) Travel Documents and Maps
III / B : 1) Nick Morant Funeral, Memorial and Estate
III / C : 1) Mollie Morant Papers
2) Other Family Papers
III / D : 1) Sound Recordings
2) Biographical Material
3) Other Papers and Photographs [ a) Burton Wheatley Family b) Other ]
4) Personal and Family Photography
5) Personal Interest and Gifts
File consists of 47 b&w photographic prints, various sizes. Prints pertain to various topics, including images of wartime manufacturers, individuals working with model trains and ships, fighter planes, two photographs pertaining to a dog show, portraits of several individuals, and three images of S…
Three images within the file are of Sheila Morgan, a model who Nicholas Morant worked with at the Algonquin Resort Hotel in New Brunswick, likely some time in the 1940's. The Algonquin Resort was bought by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1903 and sold to private owners in 1970.
Scope & Content
File consists of 47 b&w photographic prints, various sizes. Prints pertain to various topics, including images of wartime manufacturers, individuals working with model trains and ships, fighter planes, two photographs pertaining to a dog show, portraits of several individuals, and three images of Sheila Morgan at the Algonquin Resort Hotel (New Brunswick) which were used in advertising.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 325
Photographic prints in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Photographic prints in this file are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Prints with ink or other risky materials attached need to be stored in mylar to protect adjacent prints. File must be stored in appropriate conditions.
File consists of 40 b&w prints, mainly depicting professional portraits of individuals. Individuals in images include Charlie Beil, Carl Rungius, and several other unnamed artists and trades workers. File also contains images of staged scenes used in advertising by Canadian Pacific.
Charlie Beil and Carl Rungius were both famous artists in the Banff area from the first half of the 20th century. Beil (1894-1976) moved to Banff in 1930 and was known for his paintings and bronze sculptures. He married Olive Luxton, the niece of Norman Luxton, in 1940. Rungius (1869-1959) was originally born in Germany and was famous for his landscape and wildlife paintings.
Scope & Content
File consists of 40 b&w prints, mainly depicting professional portraits of individuals. Individuals in images include Charlie Beil, Carl Rungius, and several other unnamed artists and trades workers. File also contains images of staged scenes used in advertising by Canadian Pacific.
Notes
Originally stored in box labelled 'Personalities'
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / Pa - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / Pa - 325
Access Restrictions
Photographic prints in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Photographic prints in this file are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Prints with ink or other risky materials attached need to be stored in mylar to protect adjacent prints. File must be stored in appropriate conditions with other prints.
File consists of 37 prints (36 b&w and 1 colour), and 1 paper clipping. Consists mostly of portrait images of various individuals, some artists and manufacturers, including one of young Peter and Catharine Whyte which has been reproduced by the Whyte Museum (PA - 112). Most images in this file are …
37 Photographs: prints; b&w and colour. 1 paper clipping.
Scope & Content
File consists of 37 prints (36 b&w and 1 colour), and 1 paper clipping. Consists mostly of portrait images of various individuals, some artists and manufacturers, including one of young Peter and Catharine Whyte which has been reproduced by the Whyte Museum (PA - 112). Most images in this file are annotated by Nicholas Morant.
Notes
One of images produced by Jim Wallace, 1974.
Storage Range
In file box V500 /II / C / 5 / PA - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 325
Photographic prints in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Photographic prints in this file are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Prints and other items with ink or other risky materials attached need to be stored in mylar to protect adjacent prints. File must be stored in appropriate conditions with other prints.
File consists of 31 b&w prints and 5 colour prints pertaining to WWII and CPR promotional images. Includes images of soldiers and machinery, aerial shots of planes, and various portraits. Some of images annotated on back side by Nicholas Morant.
File consists of 31 b&w prints and 5 colour prints pertaining to WWII and CPR promotional images. Includes images of soldiers and machinery, aerial shots of planes, and various portraits. Some of images annotated on back side by Nicholas Morant.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 325
Photographic prints in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Photographic prints are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Prints with ink or other risky materials attached need to be stored in mylar to protect adjacent prints. File must be stored in appropriate conditions.
File consists of 31 b&w prints, some from the WWII era, including various images by Morant used in advertising and news articles as well as one image by Ivy 'Willie' Morant (annotated on the back) and various portraits, including one image of Western actor Richard Dix and his wife Virginia, and one…
File consists of 31 b&w prints, some from the WWII era, including various images by Morant used in advertising and news articles as well as one image by Ivy 'Willie' Morant (annotated on the back) and various portraits, including one image of Western actor Richard Dix and his wife Virginia, and one portrait of former Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 325
Prints in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the express permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Prints in this file are not to be reproduced without the express permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Prints with ink or other risky materials attached need to be stored in mylar to protect adjacent prints. File must be stored in appropriate conditions.
File consists of images pertaining to CPR trains, tradespeople working outdoors, manufacturers, and wildlife, as well as 4 colour copies of an image of Vermillion Lakes by Nicholas Morant and a colour photograph of an unnamed woman posing with Santa.
File consists of images pertaining to CPR trains, tradespeople working outdoors, manufacturers, and wildlife, as well as 4 colour copies of an image of Vermillion Lakes by Nicholas Morant and a colour photograph of an unnamed woman posing with Santa.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 325
File consists of 90 b&w prints pertaining to the CPR, with most images depicting active Canadian Pacific trains. Prints were used in John F. Garden's book, 'Nicholas Morant's Canadian Pacific' (1992), published by Footprint Publishing. Prints each have attached information signifying the page numbe…
File consists of 90 b&w prints pertaining to the CPR, with most images depicting active Canadian Pacific trains. Prints were used in John F. Garden's book, 'Nicholas Morant's Canadian Pacific' (1992), published by Footprint Publishing. Prints each have attached information signifying the page number they appear on, zoom percentage of photographs, etc.
Notes
Prints originally stored together in a black binder titled 'Footprint' and 'Canadian Pacific', numbered '78920' on cover. Items' folders have been kept together and labelled similarly.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 1 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 325
File consists of 79 colour prints and 14 b&w prints pertaining to the CPR. Content includes various images of active Canadian Pacific trains, CP workers and stencil/logo production, 2 b&w prints of text (one old CP advertisement poster and one excerpt from a railway-related text), and two copies of…
File consists of 79 colour prints and 14 b&w prints pertaining to the CPR. Content includes various images of active Canadian Pacific trains, CP workers and stencil/logo production, 2 b&w prints of text (one old CP advertisement poster and one excerpt from a railway-related text), and two copies of much older prints (late 19th/early 20th century) reproduced by Nicholas Morant.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 326 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 648
Prints in this file are not to be accessed or distributed without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Reproduction Restrictions
Prints in this file are not to be reproduced without the explicit permission of their identified copyright owners.
Language
English
Conservation
Prints with ink or other risky materials attached need to be stored in mylar to protect adjacent items. Files must be stored in appropriate conditions.
File consists of 85 b&w prints and 1 colour print, various sizes. Content pertains to CPR, construction sites, horses and ranching, wildlife/landscapes, Indigenous art, and images from scenes in several provinces across Canada (BC, AB, NB, NS, QC) created for use in Canadian Pacific travel promotio…
Produced by Nicholas Morant and Ivy 'Willie' Morant
Date Range
[ca. 1935 - ca. 1940]
[ca. 1950 - ca. 1960]
[ca. 1980 - 1986]
Physical Description
86 Photographs: prints; b&w and colour
Scope & Content
File consists of 85 b&w prints and 1 colour print, various sizes. Content pertains to CPR, construction sites, horses and ranching, wildlife/landscapes, Indigenous art, and images from scenes in several provinces across Canada (BC, AB, NB, NS, QC) created for use in Canadian Pacific travel promotions. Also contains three portrait images of Stoney Nakoda chiefs including John Hunter and Jacob Two-Young-Man, and two images of an older Nicholas Morant (at least one taken by Ivy 'Willie' Morant, depicting Nicholas Morant in train tunnel holding camera equipment). Many images in this file are stamped on the reverse side as property of Miller Services Ltd.
Storage Range
In file box V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 326 to V500 / II / C / 5 / PA - 648