Sabina Santos: Smooth Apple with Mammoth Tobacco Pipe

Sabina Santos is one of Portugal's few artisan pipe makers, but she's developed an international reputation for pieces that are uniquely designed, expertly engineered, and handsomely finished. She spent a good deal of time studying under some of Denmark's premier carvers, including Tom Eltang, Kai Nielsen, Tao, and Kurt Balleby. That Danish influence is clearly evident in this striking Apple design. especially when considering its clean lines and supple curves.

Measuring in at exactly five inches in total length, this piece doesn't quite qualify as a Nosewarmer, but its sleek lines and low-slung bowl lend it a thoroughly compact profile, though it retains a good bit of muscularity in hand. The bowl here boasts an arcing taper from its wide, plump heel to its comparatively tauter rim, with this taper producing a low-set waistline that indexes the fingers quite comfortably. Well-defined cheeking along the transition accentuates the bowl's pronounced curvature while offering a nice visual break between the fore and aft sides of the composition, allowing each aspect of the form to be appreciated individually.

As one would expect from a Santos pipe, the grain here is gorgeous, with tight strands of flame grain following the bowl's aforementioned taper, traveling from the birdseye-covered heel to the birdseye-speckled rim. This lively grain is deftly highlighted by a warm auburn stain that's at once inviting and refined. A mammoth accent further distinguishes this already ornate design, its gorgeous patterns seamlessly integrated into the overall composition.