Sabina Santos: Smooth Full Bent Calabash with Maple (G) Tobacco Pipe

Sabina Santos reserves her "G" stamp for the very finest pieces she makes, a tribute to her son. This fully-bent rendition of the Calabash has certainly earned the designation — supple and lithe, it wears a cap of pale maple against a darker contrast stain for the stummel, the forward-ebbing nature of the bowl given greater emphasis through its high-lifting shank and crisp, sinuous stem. Every detail is stunning, with no area of the pipe overlooked; from the grain of the bowl, including flame starkly highlighted by the contrast stain's detailing, to a touch of plateau left craggy at the fore of the bowl, to the underside of the removable cap, which has been finished in the same stain as the stummel itself. Even in the interior, care has been taken to line the condensation chamber with natural cork, rather than synthetic, a quality choice that is only noticeable to the smoker when cleaning the pipe. From every direction, Sabina's care for the pipe, the methods, and the hobby are all on display — as well as the skill she has taken such time and effort to hone.