French artists selling door to door in Dublin

There are genuine people out there that support their families by selling door-to-door and have done for many years.

Maybe so, I just haven't come across many of them. I've only ever bought one product/ service on my doorstep (mentioned elsewhere on this site a long time ago) and was very happy to do so at the time, but only after I had quizzed the seller and satisfied myself as to the bona fides of the product and the vendor!
 
Bought what i thought was a sketch in the same way about a year ago. Only paid €10 for it and i was impressed because i could see the pencil marks. looked at it closely afterwards and realised it was a copy with a few pencils marks put in hear and there. Its somewhere under my bed if anyone wants it.
 
This lot are back again this evening in Ballina in Mayo. Very hard to get rid of them from the door they are extremely pushy
 
My wife and I where taken in by a guy selling paintings he was from good old france. We bought 3 very nice paintings I tought we where getting a very good deal. I feel a bit hard done by, but its only a once in a life time mistake.

He was offering them for 150E each, we payed 140E for the lot (my wife was very very good the entertainment was great), as luck would have it a pal of mind framed them for free and they look the business.

We feel the deal wasnt such a bad one, not with standing all of that, he better not call round our place again.
 
Clubman,

Sorry my mistake it was an over site whilst typing the post.

Just to clarife we feel we got a good deal, but are angry due to the fact he told us a load of rubbish instead of selling them at face value.

Hope that put a clearer view on the point I was trying to get across
 
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The Israeli crowd seem to be around Kerry also. One came to my door - must admit I was impressed by the paintings - hand painted oil originials, not prints, good size too. Was interested in one but said I didn't have the money on me to pay for it. He said he'd call back later to give me a chance to go to the bank machine. Was getting worried at this stage so i did a quick google and found this thread. When he came back, I told him he was running a scam. "What is scam" he says. Told him to get lost and closed the door. Later, I found that he had spat on my door before he left and on my car outside too!!! Rang the Gardai about it but they just said to ignore them. Not much they can do I guess. I take it the law is pretty weak against this sort of thing?
 
Later, I found that he had spat on my door before he left and on my car outside too!!!
Maybe he actually is a budding artist and that phlegm will be worth something in a few years time?
I take it the law is pretty weak against this sort of thing?
Against selling things door to door? Yeah - they should ban that. And whistling. That really annoys me...
 
Thanks Clubman! :) You never know...

Pass me on your name, address and bank details and I'll get you a painting if you like... I'll throw in the phlegm for free! :D
 
...she said I could pay by cheque and if not satisfied I could cancel the cheque. This is what we did...
I don't mean to scare you but you should always be cautious of people selling at the door, and never pay by cheque! They will then have your name, address and bank a/c details.
 
Hi,

Hope no one minds me resurrecting this thread. Maybe its because the nights are getting darker and so the paintings are more passable, but we had a foreign art student to the door this evening selling reproduction paintings. Some of them did look very good, but I suspect they were prints. Anyway, although I liked one of them, I didn't want to pay €90 for it on the basis that I had read this thread before and was sceptical.

However what I would like to know now is where I could possibly get the print that I liked at the real print price. I didn't recognise it as anything famous as it was a painting suitable for a kids room - 2 colourful hot air ballons on a dark beige coloured background with kids with stringy hair in the balloons, not life like kids, kind of more like characters or puppets - it was cute, I just didn't feel confident that I wasn't being badly over charged. I think the artists name began with Ro.... The girl at the door said it was called Spaghetti Kids, but no joy on a search.

Anyone recognise it, perhaps bought it at the door for a nursery, or suggest where I might start searching for it online ?

Many thanks,
R-
 
I remember these guys calling to my family home in the country and yes were Polish pretending to have a french accent.Also found it very intimidating.Can't believe they are still around and do believe cold calling should be outlawed except proper service people with ID (gas etc)
 
ronny78 - I have bought a lot of prints off www.allposters.com (I have no connection or afillation with this site other than buying from them in the past), and had them mounted and laminated for wall hanging - you can hang them with velcro if you do that.

It prolongs the life of the print to have it laminated and you have no holes in the walls if you hang with velcro.

On the subject with the door to door artist sales people, Mr Truthseeker is an artist himself and the last poor guy who made the mistake of calling to our door was subjected to a long and detailed art lecture, each painting was examined, relative merits discussed, by the time the door was closed (no sale made), Id say the artist was just glad to escape...... :)
 
I had two people call to the door last night. I was putting out the bins and before i knew it they had themselves in my sitting room taking out their oil paintings.

I think they felt they had got a good thing, i think...

that was until i opened my mouth.

I have an aritst as a mum and i took each painting and went over it 100 times ...

anyway they then started to point out everything in my home from framed pictures to the telly and the xbox... this is where i got even more unnerved...

the girl then asked for a glass of water i told her the water was currenly cut off but my partner was in the shop and due back i could get her a drink at that point if she wished... in minutes they were gone.

if i had been a kind hearted old lady i dont think half of my nice things that were mentioned would be still in the house.
 
Why on earth did you let them into your house?! :confused:


I had soem of these "artists" call recently. I opened the door ( I don't normally open the door to cold callers) thinking it was a friend i was waiting to call. They pushed passed me into the hall. I told them to leave but they were very persistant they they wanted to show me their "art". They eventually left cursing me.

I rang the Gardai who told me that there wasn't anything they could do.
 
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