Sabina Santos: Sandblasted Natural Lovat with Mammoth Tobacco Pipe

One of the few artisans from Portugal, Sabina Santos, before quitting her finance job, wished to find a way to express her creativity, and after becoming inspired by her husband's pipe smoking, she took to the craft of pipe making as a way of doing just that. For three years, she practiced and refined her skills, traveling to Denmark to study under masterful artisans like Tom Eltang, Kai Nielsen, Tao, Kurt Balleby, and Hans "Former" Nielsen. Those years dedicated to learning the craft have certainly paid off, as her work has become well regarded and highly sought after. Her style tends to hew closely to the Danish school of pipe making, often showcasing a penchant for organic forms and clean lines, but her raw talent and particular vision come through clearly above all else, as evidenced by this Lovat.

A sleek, minimalist design, this Lovat features a rounder bowl than often seen with the shape, the bowl looking akin to the bulb of a flower. In typical Danish style, the plump heel tapers towards the taut rim, with the cheeking at the transition further accentuating the heel's curvaceous appearance. The trim, low-slung shank-and-stem arrangement trails out back and keeps the overall design sleek and streamlined, with no visual noise to distract from the elegant shaping, poised bowl, and handsome finishing work. A trim band of two-tone mammoth tusk at the stem base adds a touch of visual flair that pairs nicely with the pale green vulcanite stem. The stummel showcases the briar's natural color palette, devoid of stain and only having been sandblasted and waxed to reveal the crisp and intricate texture of the stummel. Such a refined and engaging piece will soon become a favorite in any smoker's rotation.

--Davin Hylton