Smooth Tadpole with Juma and Mammoth (G) Tobacco Pipe

Sabina Santos is one of Portugal's few artisan pipe makers, and boasts both an inherent knack for the craft as well an impressive resume of training from some of the greatest carvers of our time: Tom Eltang, Kai Nielsen, Tao, Former, and Kurt Balleby, to name a few. Santos is known for her high-quality finish work, elegant shaping, keen eye for design and, most importantly, her unwavering commitment to craftsmanship. The Tadpole is no stranger to Santos' portfolio, with each iteration somehow managing to outdo the last, and this stunning rendition is, of course, no exception.

The Tadpole shape is one that inherently requires an immense amount of skill to carve, as it's incredibly difficult to take a material as solid and dense as briar and give it the illusion of a fluidly moving, organic being with a tightly coiled tail, yet Santos has rendered this offering with a deceptive sense of ease and no shortage of grace. The tail is impressively trim, and the addition of paneling to the flanks of the plump, Egg-shaped bowl offers even more opportunity to showcase Santos' impressively deft linework. The asymmetry of the aforementioned paneling maintains the bowl's organic qualities: The left flank is framed to parallel ridgelines, while the right flank is bisected by just one. This lends the form a highly dynamic appearance that is perhaps best appreciated when viewed from above, where one can admire the uniquely shaped rim.

Every bit as skillfully rendered as the briar, the shank-and-stem arrangement of this piece is composed of Juma, mammoth, and vulcanite. The elegant, flaring Juma stem appears to pierce the bowl, and its flaring face is visually extended by the matching flared shoulders of the vulcanite saddle stem. Said shoulders are accented with a band of mammoth whose fossilization has led to a pleasing medley of cool, airy tones that contrasts handsomely with the stummel's deep, rich coloring and pairs nicely with the creamy color of the Juma stem. The striations within the mammoth accent almost echo the streaks of grain found throughout the stummel, with cross grain showcased on the bowl's rim and flanks, and some particularly stunning birdseye visible at the fore. With such a formidable combination of grain, shaping, and stunning accents, it's no wonder this piece has earned Santos' ultimate "G" grade.