Partially Sandblasted Asymmetric Volcano with Mammoth Tobacco Pipe

Prior to encountering this piece from Sabina Santos, I had never seen a Volcano rendition nor a design that incorporated asymmetry from the Portuguese carver. Luckily the stars have aligned and an asymmetric Volcano from Sabina is presented here, imbued with her expert engineering and readily displaying her appreciation for organically inspired shapes and vivid color palettes. Two separate ridgelines emanate from the sides of the shank, eventually merging together along the bowl's base from which the flanks quickly taper up toward the rim. Those ridgelines curl upward along the bowl's fore, imbuing the design with dynamism and giving a sense of forward-urging momentum in profile similar to a speedboat gliding through the water.

Sabina chose to finish this piece in a partial sandblast and it was certainly a wise choice after looking at the impressive grain she extracted from this briar block. Above the base's ridgeline, undulating grain patterns climb the bowl's flanks while the entire underside features hypnotic birdseye patterns underneath the warm, auburn stain, matching the innermost portion of the chamfered rim. The asymmetry is subtle yet perfectly executed, with the bowl slightly tilted along its horizontal axis while the wide shank curves upward, leaving ample room for a thumb to rest against the transition. The Portuguese artisan's accent work is always impressive and it's quite striking on this piece. Stabilized mammoth adorns the shank end, its variegated colors offering vibrant contrast while the teal-hued ebonite stem perfectly complements the mammoth's vivid blue hues. This is a pipe with a presence and personality, one that will command attention in any collection.