Nicholas Lonborg specializes in highly finished, hand-carved quarterboard signs. The name quarterboard derives from decoratively carved and painted signs that hung on the bow of 1800s sailing vessels. Once associated with ships, quarterboards now mark personal property, especially on the seafaring island of Nantucket and other coastal communities.

Nicholas carves letterforms using a single utility knife. He shapes relief carving with chisels and gouges. He applies five coats of oil paint to the boards and then gilds the letters in 23-karat gold leaf.