Female Pipe maker from Portugal
Female pipe makers are still a speciality in the world of handmade pipes. Although Anne Julie was a very active pioneer early on, imitators were very rarely found thereafter. It is all the nicer that Sabina came up with the idea in 2013 to work with wood as a balance to the dry office work. Her husband had been an enthusiastic pipe smoker for years. So what could be more natural than to get involved in pipe making? It should be mentioned, however, that Portugal is not exactly considered a Mecca of pipe smoking. Even procuring tobacco is very, very difficult. Many a pipe smoker is happy to find a packet of Borkum Riff in the tobacco shops. So if you are going on holiday to Portugal this year: Stock up!
Apprenticeship in Denmark
So Sabina was on her own at first. She received advice and feedback on her work from her husband, and online she was in contact with numerous pipe smokers worldwide. Here she realised that if she wanted to develop significantly, she still had a lot, a lot to learn. She got in touch with the Danish "pipe making community" and set off to study pipe making in Denmark. While many a pipe maker is lucky enough to spend 3-4 hours looking over a pipe maker's shoulder, she spent weeks in the workshops. Not only did she visit one address, but she also learned from Joao Reis (who himself comes from Portugal), Kai Nielsen, Tao, Tom Eltang, Kurt Balleby and last but not least Hans "Former" Nielsen. In other words, a lot of "good names" from whom she could learn something. After eight weeks, she left again to put into practice what she had learned in Portugal.
Much learned
Observers of the pipe scene noticed a huge boost in craftsmanship and aesthetic value from the very first photos of her work that she posted on social media platforms. Her work was virtually unrecognisable. It was an amazing before-and-after effect. Now well-known pipe collectors were also taking notice of her, and the first dealer enquiries started coming in. Denmark knocked on the door, of course, but also the USA and China. She could also be found at various pipe shows. So she began to cooperate with specialist dealers worldwide. Sales were now taken care of by the dealers, and she could concentrate entirely on pipe making. In the meantime, our colleague Janez Valada, also a native of Portugal, visited Sabina in her workshop in Portugal. Here they both made the plan to offer their pipes in our shop in the future. But it took some time before this happened. A few years, in fact, because Sabina's pipes were now increasingly in demand.
Style and philosophy
No wonder, because Sabina knows better than anyone how to combine the classic Danish style with modern elements without sacrificing craftsmanship and aesthetics. She definitely understands a pipe as an art object that says something about it and the owner.
Regarding the materials used and the marking of her pipes, she writes the following on her homepage:
"To carve my pipes, I use only the best materials in the world, including the best graded Italian and Algerian briar. All my pipes feature hand-cut mouthpieces made from German ebonite. For enhancements and accents, I use other natural materials such as bamboo, horn, exotic woods and stabilised mammoth tusks and bones. With the sustainability of our planet in mind, I also use recycled plastic bottles for decorative applications. Reusing plastic allows me to use trash as art with a powerful voice. My pipes are stamped "Sabina" and some also have the mark "G" reserved for my best pipes, a tribute to my son Gil.These special and unique pipes are signed by hand after each piece is finished. I use the same cursive "G" as my son's signature.“
Sabina Pipes with Filter worldwide only at Cigarworld.
You will understand that we are very pleased and honoured to have pipes from Sabina Santos in our range. As a special feature, we are the only retailer in the world to be able to offer you her pipes with a filter bore. Please also understand that we cannot estimate when we will next have the opportunity to get pipes from her, because they are in great demand.
