Joseph Ades: The Gentleman Peeler of New York City streets
Ha! This is fantastic! The Villager has a short piece about Joseph Ades, the somewhat well-known street salesman that demonstrates potato peelers in New York City! [via]
Ades, 74, came here from England more than 10 years ago. At age 15 in his hometown of Manchester, he learned the art of “grafting,” or selling and demonstrating products. He also learned never to underestimate a small amount of money.
Ades stores his inventory in the maid’s room of his Park Ave. apartment. According to an obituary in The New York Times, artist Estelle Pascoe, Ades’s wife, passed away last fall.
Ades can be found at the northwest corner of Union Square’s north plaza on most Greenmarket days, but he also sells his peelers on various corners around the city. Both New Yorkers and visitors photograph him and post the pictures on blogs as a way to convey an authentic New York experience. He has also been featured on fashion blogs for his dapper outfits.
Here’s a video of him that Simon took last year.
Potato Peeler from mongchacha on Vimeo.
And here’s one more video of the funny old man!
Actually, while I’m at it, I might as well post some more videos of the guy!
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May 24th, 2008 at 1:35 am
awww. I always see that old man in union square.
I wonder if he ever gets hot in that suit.