A rare collection of Chinese carved signs

In the late 1990's while traveling in China collecting antiques for Sinotique, I noticed beautifully carved signs with Chinese characters on them tucked in dark corners of warehouses and shops. Being drawn to worn textures and peeling paint I couldn't resist digging through the dust to get to these neglected treasures that often told the stories of China's literati class and long forgotten businesses.
Pictured here are some from my collection. It's very difficult to find these signs in original condition today, and even harder to export them as laws have changed over time to forbid the removal of architectural details from China.