1976 Press Photo Intricate wood carvings and details adorned Gingerbread House

Lodriguez' skill has started to pay off in the last few years, owing largely to the restoration rage. "Ninety-nine percent of my work deals with renovations. My biggest orders are for porch railings. (He recently finished a porch for a house in Armstrong Park.) For example, I made 250 of these- "he holds up a spindle from the original railing. Lodriguez points out that its contours emulate those of a vase or urn, and that secondary contours, like the circular indentations on a porch railing, derive from the old-fashioned method of securing wood with strings, which left a deep impression. His primary construction material is second-hand lumber bought from demolishers. Dent, knicks, and nail holes make it all the more attractive for reproductions: "People want it to look old."

Photo is dated 1976.

Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches.