Luxury Armenian Coat of Arms Walnut Backgammon Set with Basket Weave

Luxury Armenian Coat of Arms Walnut Backgammon Set with Basket Weave by Hrachya Ohanyan

Eagle and lion holding the shield — the coat of arms of Armenia — carved in relief on a disc set into a lid of basket weave. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ luxury wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in walnut and hornbeam, 32 checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded case.

This is the board for the Armenian who wants the emblem in walnut with the whole lid worked, and the player who likes texture under the hand. Eagle and lion stand either side of the shield, feathers and mane cut deep; the shield carries the four royal arms over Ararat and the ark, sword and broken chain beneath, all on a stippled disc in a rope-and-bead ring. Around it the lid is basket weave edge to edge, every strand carved over and under the next, acanthus scrolls at the corners.

Inside, the points are pale hornbeam let into the walnut, drop-shaped with fleur-de-lys tips, a petal wheel in a scrolled ring in line work on each half and an ornate brass hinge on the bar; the back carries basket weave and two eternity whirls. For the ambassador's residence, the fortieth, and the player who wants the emblem and the weave together.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: walnut wood, natural colour, varnished; hornbeam inlay inside
• Carving: the coat of arms of Armenia — eagle and lion holding the quartered shield with Ararat and the ark, sword and broken chain beneath — in relief on a stippled disc inside a rope-and-bead ring; basket weave carved strand over strand across the whole lid; acanthus scrolls at the corners; rope borders; basket weave and two eternity whirls on the back; pale hornbeam points inlaid inside, petal wheels in scrolled rings in line work
• Outline: Classic — straight edges and square corners
• Hardware: ornate brass hinge, cast-bronze clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

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

Why You'll Love It

• Emblem plus weave: the arms stand in relief on their disc and the rest of the lid is carved basket weave, so there is not a flat inch on the cover.
• Hornbeam in the walnut: the pale points inside are real hornbeam let into the walnut, not paint, so the contrast stays crisp for life and both woods deepen together.
• 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 braid pattern carved or pressed? Carved. The basket weave is cut strand by strand into the walnut lid, over and under, and the coat of arms is carved in relief on its own disc in the middle — the eagle, the lion, the quartered shield with Ararat and the ark, sword and chain beneath — the emblem first drawn for the First Republic in 1918. The pale points inside are hornbeam inlaid into the walnut. 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.