Two Wolves Backgammon Set with Classic Outline

Two Wolves Backgammon Set with Classic Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

Two wolves on a rocky ledge, one facing you, one turned to the trail, with a stand of trees behind them — carved in deep relief on a cross-hatched disc in a rope-and-bead ring. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in beech, 32 checkers, dice and a branded case.

This is the board for the pair — brothers, partners, the two friends who have played each other for twenty years — and the hunting lodge. The scene is sculpted, not drawn: the wolves stand clear of the disc with the coat cut in long strokes, ears up, the near one looking straight out; the ledge under their paws is furrowed rock, the trees behind are cut lower so they sit back in the picture. Round the ring, cusped panels of honeycomb stipple and diamond lattice run to the corners.

Inside, the stain stops at the points: they alternate pale and dark under fleur-de-lys tips, with a petal wheel ringed in scrolls on each half and the maker's stamped brass hinge on the bar; on the back, two eternity whirls flank a chequerboard of pale and stained squares. For the cabin, the den, and the player who wants company on the lid.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained dark brown and varnished, the pale points left bare
• Carving: two wolves on a furrowed rock ledge with a stand of trees behind, in deep relief at three depths on a hand cross-hatched disc inside a rope-and-bead ring; cusped panels of chip-carved honeycomb stipple, diamond lattice and rope-and-bead borders to the rim; a chequerboard of pale and stained squares between two eternity whirls on the back; points alternating pale and dark with fleur-de-lys tips and petal wheels in scrolled rings inside
• Outline: Classic — a square frame with a moulded rim
• Hardware: brass hinge stamped with the maker's mark, cast-bronze clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Hand-carved backgammon board with the two wolves in relief
• 32 beech and walnut checkers with velvet bases
• Dice set cut from billiard balls
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Two, not one: the other wolf boards carry a single animal — this is the pair, side by side on the rock, each with its own stance and its own coat.
• Depth you can see from the door: wolves, rock and trees are cut at three depths, so the scene has a foreground and a background and throws real shadow in lamplight.
• Make it theirs: add a name or a date at checkout to mark a birthday, a retirement or years of games together.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Are the wolves carved in relief? Yes — deep relief, in three layers: the wolves stand highest, the rock ledge next, and the trees are cut shallow behind so they read as distance; the disc between is cross-hatched by hand. The honeycomb stipple and lattice round it are chip-carved, the points and petal wheels inside are cut into the field, and the board is varnished. Nothing is printed or applied.

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 policy.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth and store it closed in its carrying case.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine woodcraft in 1985 and founded his workshop in Yerevan in 2010. This board belongs to his collection of wooden backgammon sets, each one made by hand by the craftspeople of that workshop. Read Hrachya Ohanyan's story or explore the full backgammon collection.

Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh.