Sabina Santos: Partially Sandblasted Dublin with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

Out of this most recent batch of pipes we received from Sabina Santos, I must confess that this Dublin is my favorite. The Portuguese carver recently returned from spending several weeks in Denmark, where she devoted quite a bit of time in Hans "Former" Nielsen's workshop, honing her skills, especially in the detail work of pipemaking. Such adept craftsmanship is readily apparent in this piece. The bamboo shank is married perfectly to the shank and stem at either end. The bowl itself is a classic Danish rendition, flaring toward an inflated rim that's been polished smooth. Most striking, though, is the piece's inherent sense of rhythm, made possible by the bamboo knuckles. The spacing between the saddle portion of the stem through the knuckles and to the bowl's slightly protruding heel gets a touch longer as it moves from section to section. As a result, the eyes are urged toward the forward canted bowl, continuing the form's sense of momentum. Gorgeous shaping and a lovely use of alternative medium.