10 million negative to sell

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés
The basement of Jocelyn Packet serves as a warehouse to store his incredible collection. To such an extent that the ground is cracked in some places under the weight of the boxes.

Pierre-Paul Biron

Sunday, 10 dec 2017 00:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 10 dec 2017 00:00

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A photographer and collector of images of Quebec who will be retiring over the next few days trying to sell the entirety of the archives, which he owns, which is close to 10 million negatives, a treasure trove of more than 50 tons.

December 15, Jocelyn Packet will close permanently the company The photographer’s Archive, a project he has launched more than 20 years. He has amassed over his career twenty of archives from photo studios and individuals of the greater Quebec city region.

Wishing to initially scan all of this content, Mr. Pack realized today that the task is too large for a single man, as passionate can he be.

“The word has happened that I bought the negatives when I started. I haven’t seen the time slip away and there, I realize that I will not have enough of a life to manage it all, ” says the man who earned his living by selling the rights to use his photos for various books, publications or tv programs, in addition to creating a series of over 700 postcards from her negatives.

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés

Some of the pictures could have great historical value.

“Travel in time “

It is easy to understand the magnitude of the collection of Mr. Package when one enters the basement of the house that serves as a warehouse. The boxes and filing cabinets stacked to the ceiling at the size of the room testify to the potential history behind it.

In a corner, the concrete floor has cracked around a series of crates so the whole thing is heavy.

“As soon as it comes out, I will have to redo all the floor of the basement because it was too worked up “, guffaws one who has discovered a passion for these “time travel” from a young age in the company of his mother.

Through the boxes on which are written the indications of another era, Jocelyn Packet is believed to possess some treasures.

“I have film reels and negatives of the poet and painter Hector de Saint-Denys-Garneau, which are just about the only original known to the world. The man has a world-renowned, so there may be an international interest in these images, ” says the collector, who has already had an assessment of$ 2 Million for these parts.

Thousands of vintage photos of the Quebec city Carnival, major athletes and events to have marked the region are also found in the collection.

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés

The photographer of Quebec would have in his hands nearly 10 million negatives and reels of film.

Rare opportunity

Decided to sell it, but wishing to see this historical heritage remain property in quebec, Jocelyn Paquet turned to the various levels of government to negotiate. Notably, he contacted a number of municipalities, including the City of Quebec, in addition to the federal government, with which he said he had a good contact. Letters were also sent to the provincial minister of Culture Marie Montpetit.

“I doubt that I will ever in a single batch. But everyone can find something of interest and that will be a major historic significance, ” says the enthusiast, who believes the$ 10 Million his collection. “As I have 10 million negatives, it’s been $ 1 a piece. I know that they are not worth all of $ 1, but some are worth a lot more. “

The man had been approached several times by a foreign company that was recently acquired by a chinese giant. If there is a possibility to sell to these people, Mr. Pack wants to keep his treasure here.

“I believe that this is a unique opportunity for our governments to put the hand on an important heritage. This is an opportunity that does will perhaps never, ” stresses Jocelyn Packet

The collection of Jocelyn Packet in figures

• Approximately 10 million of negative
• Covers the period 1927 to 2007
• More than 50 tons of material
• A score of archives in total
• Between 50 000 and 75 000 negative scanned
• 10 000 have been documented