Pomegranate Tree of Life Armenian Backgammon Set, Three Sizes

Pomegranate Tree of Life Armenian Backgammon Set, Three Sizes by Hrachya Ohanyan

The Tree of Life, hung with pomegranates: a pale beech tree on a dark stained disc, ringed with rope-and-bead, honeycomb stipple and lattice round it. This is the Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan in three sizes, 40, 50 or 60 cm / 15.7″ to 23.6″, classic outline. Beech, 32 checkers, a dice set and a branded case.

Best for: A wedding, housewarming or Christmas gift for an Armenian family, a father or a husband. Pomegranate Tree of Life in three sizes: 40 cm for travel, 50 cm, or 60 cm full size. Engraving available.

This is the board for the wedding table, the new house and the family that wants the size that fits the room — three sizes, one listing. The tree is the wood itself: the disc is stained dark round it, and the trunk, every curling branch, leaf and small crowned pomegranate is left the cream of the beech, so the picture has no relief to catch dust and reads across a room. Cusped panels of honeycomb stipple, diamond lattice and rope borders carry the carving to the rim.

Open, the game is cut into the beech: points alternating pale and dark under fleur-de-lys tips, a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring on each half, the maker's stamped brass hinge on the bar; the back carries a chequerboard of pale and stained squares between two eternity whirls. For the couple choosing their first board, the diaspora parcel, and the player who wants the fruit of Armenia on the lid.

Specifications

• Size open: three sizes, 40 × 40 cm, 50 × 50 cm or 60 × 60 cm (15.7″, 19.6″ or 23.6″ square) — choose above
• Size folded: half the width, from 40 × 20 cm / 15.7″ × 7.9″ to 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained dark brown and varnished, the tree and the pale points left bare
• Carving: a pomegranate tree — trunk, curling branches, leaves and crowned fruit — left in the bare beech on a dark stained 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 wheel ornaments 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 pomegranate tree lid
• 32 beech and walnut checkers with velvet bases
• Dice set cut from billiard balls
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Three sizes, one lid: the travel board, the medium and the full-size board share the same carved lid and the same inside — choose the size above and nothing changes but the scale of the checkers.
• Pale on dark, no paint: the tree is the beech itself showing through the stain — cream trunk, branches and crowned pomegranates on a dark disc — so it reads across the room and never needs touching up.
• 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

Is the tree carved in relief? No — it is flat and two-tone. The disc is stained dark and the tree is the bare beech left inside it, so it is smooth to the touch with nothing to chip. The ring, the honeycomb panels, the lattice and the rope borders round it are carved into the lid, and inside, the points and wheel ornaments are cut into the beech before the varnish goes on. Nothing is printed or applied.

Which size should I choose? The 60 cm is the full table board, the size most people picture; the 50 cm plays the same game with room left for the coffee cups; the 40 cm goes in a bag and comes out on holiday. All three carry the same lid and the same carving inside, and each comes with checkers, a dice set and a case to fit.

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.