Luxury Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Armenia & Russia Arms

Luxury Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Armenia & Russia Arms, by Hrachya Ohanyan

Two state emblems, carved in the round. On the front cover the eagle and the lion of the Republic of Armenia hold the shield with Ararat between them, every feather and every curl of the lion's mane standing off a stippled ground inside a round rope-edged frame. Turn the board over and the double-headed eagle of the Russian Federation spreads its wings in the same deep relief, crowns, sceptre and orb included. Around both, master Hrachya Ohanyan carved lobed panels of fine lattice and rope borders, stained the beech a warm brown, and shaped the board in the curved, stepped contour outline that is the workshop's signature. A luxury Armenian backgammon set hand-carved from a single piece of wood — for the two countries that share one table.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and a full 23.6″ / 60 cm hand-carved wooden backgammon board opens up: a carved wheel ornament in a scrolled ring at the heart of each half, pale points tipped with carved fleur-de-lys flourishes, a small metal maker's plaque on the centre bar, and the deep grain of the board running through it all. Thirty-two checkers in light and dark wood, a dice set and the branded carrying case come with it. This is the handmade backgammon board for the family with a flat in Yerevan and a flat in Moscow — and a nardi argument running in both.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, carved from one piece, stained and varnished
• Motif: the coat of arms of Armenia on the front cover and the double-headed eagle of Russia on the back, both carved in deep relief inside round rope-edged frames; lobed lattice panels, rope borders, carved wheel ornaments inside
• Outline: signature contour silhouette with carved, stepped edges
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Handmade in Armenia by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Backgammon board with bronze hinges and clasps
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood, with velvet bases
• Dice set
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Two emblems in real relief: the eagles, the lion, the shields and the crowns are all carved by hand in the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop and stand well off the ground — a cover you feel as much as see, and no two boards come out the same.
• Two sides, one board: Armenia on the front, Russia on the back — whichever way it lies on the table, someone's country is up.
• The contour outline: the curved, stepped silhouette means you recognise one of these boards from across the room, closed or open.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How big is it? Open, the board is 23.6″ / 60 cm square — the standard full size for a living-room table. Closed, it is 23.6″ × 11.8″ / 60 × 30 cm and stands on its own edge.

Is the carving real? Yes. Both coats of arms, the lattice, the rope borders, the stepped contour edge and the wheel ornaments inside are all cut into the wood by hand, not printed or pressed — run a finger over the eagle's wing and you feel every feather.

What about shipping and returns? Shipping is free to the US, Canada and Europe, always tracked; other countries pay a flat $100 (Brazil, Chile and New Zealand $200). Every set is covered by our 30-day returns.

Can I add a name or a date? Yes — choose the engraving option on this page and tell us the text. A name or a date turns it into a personalized backgammon set, and it is the detail people remember years later.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, wipe with a dry soft cloth, and store it closed in the case.

The Two Coats of Arms

The arms of Armenia, adopted in 1992 from the design of the first republic of 1918, put an eagle and a lion either side of a shield: Ararat with Noah's ark at its centre, and around it the emblems of the four dynasties that ruled Armenia — Artaxiad, Arsacid, Bagratuni and Rubenid. The double-headed eagle of Russia is older still — it came to Moscow from Byzantium in the 15th century, when Ivan III married the last emperor's niece, and returned as the state emblem in 1993 with three crowns above, sceptre and orb in its talons and St George on the shield. Carved on one board, back to back, they make a handsome gift for anyone whose life runs between the two.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

In 1985, National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine wood craft, introducing a new approach to the age-old traditions of woodworking. After many years of dedication, the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop was established in 2010. Every board passes through 14 stages of production, with 14 separate craftsmen leaving their mark before it reaches its finished form — a piece of wood artistry admired both in Armenia and around the world. Read the story of master Hrachya Ohanyan or explore the full Hrachya Ohanyan backgammon collection.

A Gift That Lasts Generations

For a business partner in Moscow, a wedding between two families, a diplomat's farewell or the uncle who plays nardi in both languages, a hand-carved luxury Armenian backgammon set with the arms of Armenia and Russia on the covers is the backgammon gift set that speaks for itself. We send it at Christmas, at New Year and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.