The Jasper Chronicles-Part 5: The "Fairmont Gold" Standard – A Gerry Ascroft Masterpiece

About the Artist

Gerry Ascroft was a boutique furniture maker based in Naramata, BC. In the mid-to-late 1990s, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) initiated a "Return to Nature" design shift. Management wanted to move away from the mass-produced aesthetic of the 1970s and return to the "bark-on" roots of the 1920s, but with a modern, ergonomic refinement.
Unlike earlier eras, where furniture was ordered en masse from companies like Old Hickory to provide a rustic feel, Gerry Ascroft was part of a specific movement of British Columbia Studio Woodworkers who rose to prominence in the 1990s. When it came to the "New Jasper" era, Ascroft was the artisan of choice.
The Master of the Interior Based in Naramata, BC (a hub for high-end woodworkers sourcing materials directly from the BC interior) Ascroft became a master of "live-edge" structural furniture. He was famous for his ability to stabilize Black Birch and Willow while keeping the bark completely intact. This is an incredible technical feat, as bark typically cracks, peels, and separates from the wood as it dries.
His unique finishing technique—which, if you look closely, reveals an almost enamel-like luster—is what made his work durable enough to withstand the rigors of a world-class hotel.
​
A Boutique Transition
As Fairmont (and Canadian Pacific Hotels before them) shifted toward a "Boutique Lodge" feel in the late 90s, Ascroft was commissioned to create furniture specifically for the Fairmont Gold renovations and the Signature Cabins (such as the Point Cabin and Outlook Cabin).
His pieces were meant to look as though they were "found" in the woods, yet they were built with the precision of a Swiss watch. Finding a chair with his full wood-burned brand is a rare treat; often, these pieces were only signed on one item per room set.

Spotlight: The Gerry Ascroft Chair

The Provenance 
If you look at the brand on the back rung, it reads "NOC BC." This stands for Naramata, Okanagan, Canada, with Gerry Ascroft’s name proudly displayed. This proves the chair is not a mass-produced import, but a piece of functional art created by one of Western Canada’s premier furniture artists. It truly feels like finding a first-edition book!
The Aesthetic Ascroft took the "bark-on" tradition and elevated it to a level of sophistication that could be paired with velvet and gold-flecked fabric. This is arguably the most "upscale" version of mountain furniture ever produced for JPL.
The fabric—a muted green and gold Chenille Jacquard—was selected by the design team to harmonize with the Jasper landscape: moss, lichen, and sun-drenched stone. I even discovered a "hidden mountain" design in the brown edges between the gold and green. Brilliant!
The Craftsmanship The technical details are stunning:

• The Joinery: Looking closely at the tapered tenon joints, you can see the care he took in hand-turning each rung end to create a smooth, flared collar where it meets the leg.
• The Material: Ascroft specifically used Black Birch. Unlike Paper Birch, which peels easily, Black Birch has a tighter bark with an almost metallic sheen. He was a master at curing this wood so the bark stayed impeccable, even in the notoriously dry mountain air.

As the other chairs and furniture pieces in this series, this chair has its own unique space in history. The Feather Chair represents the "Old Guard" of the lodge, the Athabasca Swirl the Class of 1972 while the Ascroft represents its "refined elegance."

A Living Collection
I sometimes have to pinch myself when I look at the breadth of my JPL collection. Like the other furniture pieces in this series, this chair occupies its own unique space in history. 
As with my other finds, I will be keeping this chair as a permanent treasure. It has found its rightful place in the heart of our home, standing prominently near the grand fireplace.

A glimpse into the past: The Ascroft chair in its original setting within a Jasper Park Lodge Signature Cabin