Here are the three main questions we are asked about archival research.
Can you do this research ?
If the request concerns genealogical, administrative, police and judicial archives (and these fields are not exclusive) of the second 19th century and the first 20th century (period 1850-1950), the answer is generally affirmative; on the other hand, if your request concerns earlier decades and centuries, we will not be able to satisfy it and we will direct you, as far as possible, to another researcher whose skills and/or knowledge will be better able to meet your needs.
When can you do it ?
The timetable is variable, depending on the nature of the request, the location of the documents sought and our own schedule constraints. For small requests to a repository in or near Paris, the work can be done quickly, certainly within a fortnight, usually within a week, sometimes even within three days of the client accepting the quote.
How much will it cost ?
We recognise that each client has specific needs and a different budget. We always aim to provide value for money and a satisfactory result, whether it is archival photography or research assistance, so we try to tailor our services and charges accordingly.
Knowing in advance how much the service will cost is important to many clients and that is why our fees are calculated on an hourly basis, taking into account both the nature of the request and the amount of time required to fulfil it.
The type A service is suitable for simple and very short searches, the client having previously located the archive where the document to be photographed is kept and the exact quotation of the box in which it is located.
Type B is a more substantial service, as it requires expert exploration of the archive holdings (often in different conservation centres) and detailed examination of the inventories. It should be noted that the minimum threshold of 3 hours set for the invoicing of this service guarantees the client a complete exploration and an overall cost (including the photographs of the documents) lower than that generally practised by the archive centres themselves (where the unit price for the reproduction of an image is often more than 5€).