Client needs to be able to download all emails at once

[guitahplayah]

Hello,

I have scoured the message boards and the internet for a solution to this problem:

Is it possible to export multiple emails using IMAP? If so, how? If not, why not?
The only option I see is individual export and my client has thousands of emails.   
(I see a lot of technical answers to the question but nothing simple and to the point.)

I would truly appreciate anyone's help. 

Thank you, Doug

[SKaero]

The quickest way would be to use a mail client like Thunderbird. Thunderbird downloads all the mail using IMAP and you can than move or copy it onto into a local mail folder so that the mail is off the server itself.

[guitahplayah]

Thank you, SKaero.

Much appreciated!

Doug