I vividly remember the first time when I smelled the Tobacco from my Fathers lit Pipe.I first ran from the dense white smoke, but in time I was drawn to it more and more observing the pipe ritual with fascination.
My name is Abi Natur and I was born in 1970.Since my early childhood I traveled and lived in various countries, adapting to different cultures and so by the way I learned a few languages fluently.
The island of Rhodos in Greece had also a great influence regarding my creative work during the year 2000 while i was working and living there. My experiences in sculpturing stone, mosaics and engravings made then a full circle into reviving the freehand pipe through my inspiration, ambition and memories.
Canaan pipes are made from the highest quality materials and without the use of a wood lathe. I carve freehand pipes out of the best available Plateau-Bruyère and olive wood. The mouthpiece is hand cut in one piece including the tenon using finest German ebonite, Cumberland, or lucite rods stock .The finished pipes are triple waxed with carnauba wax and come with a handcrafted pipe box from a special softwood that is fitted individually to each pipe, keeping it so in mint condition during the transportation.
The Olive tree that stands as a symbol for peace finds its place naturally in the Pipe. The curing of the wood for pipes by the hand of the pipemaker is a very rewarding and traditional experience that reflects fully in the pipe that is made. My biggest inspiration is the shape hidden in mother nature and the full circle I close. Starting from the search after the right wood through the process of carving the pipe until the finished pipe stands like a Sculpture , playing with the light .
Pipe carving is a subtle art that reflects the pipemakers personality fully in his work. Every single pipe out of my Workshop is technically as a smoking instrument brought to the ” level”, providing you with a smoking experiences as it is meant to be. The idea of a deeper creativity should also be delivered through the pipe. I compose in such a manner that it appeals to the observing eye as much as to the hand .
My Workshop is placed in the Mediterranean city of Bar – Montenegro, laid by the Adriatic sea where huge mountains run step into the sea.The olive tree species “Barska Zutica – Olea Europea” only found around the old port of Bar grows for years in intense sea-mountain climate, making it one of the most appropriate materials for smoking pipes.One of the oldest olive trees in the world grows in Bar and is approximately 2000 years old “Stara Maslina” which means translated “The Old Olive”.
I personally harvest my olive wood from trees older than 350 and up to 800 years of age and cure it in some old fashioned way. The wood used for pipes is absolutely free from any irregularity in the structure .
The best and rarest olive wood is the one growing on almost bare stone since the natural fight for survival over hundreds of years is reflected through the marble like grain and density of the wood. Composing the shape into the grains natural pattern has become a recognizable sign to my pipe creations.
Abi Natur