Luxury Etchmiadzin and Coat of Arms Walnut Backgammon Set, Two-Sided

Luxury Etchmiadzin and Coat of Arms Walnut Backgammon Set, Two-Sided by Hrachya Ohanyan

Etchmiadzin Cathedral on one cover, the coat of arms of Armenia on the other, both in deep relief — the church framed in rococo scrolls, the arms set in basket weave. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ luxury Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline, two-sided. Handmade in walnut and hornbeam, 32 checkers, dice, branded case.

This is the board for the Armenian ambassador's residence and the player who wants faith on one side and the state on the other. The cathedral is carved block by block on a smooth panel — belfry in front, the great drum and pointed dome behind, trees either side — inside a cartouche of rococo C-scrolls over diamond lattice. Turn it over: the eagle and lion hold the quartered shield in deep relief on a stippled disc, and the field around them is carved basket weave to the scrolled corners.

Inside, the points are pale hornbeam let into the walnut under fleur-de-lys tips, a petal wheel in a scrolled ring sits on a pale hornbeam disc on each half, and a stamped brass hinge holds the bar; the whole board is finished with natural beeswax rather than gloss. For the consecration anniversary, the diaspora foundation's gift, and the player who wants church and state to share a table.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: walnut wood, natural colour, finished with natural beeswax; hornbeam inlay inside
• Carving: Etchmiadzin Cathedral — belfry, main drum with pointed dome, side domes, block walls, arched door and trees either side — in relief on a smooth walnut panel inside a cartouche of rococo C-scrolls, diamond lattice and rope-and-bead borders (front cover); the coat of arms of Armenia — eagle and lion holding the quartered shield, sword, broken chain, wheat and ribbon beneath — in deep relief on a stippled disc in a rope-and-bead ring, carved basket weave to rococo scroll corners (back cover); pale hornbeam points and petal-wheel discs inlaid inside
• Outline: Classic — straight edges and square corners
• Hardware: brass hinge stamped with the maker's mark, cast-bronze clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Hand-carved walnut backgammon board with hornbeam inlay, carved on both covers
• 32 beech and walnut checkers with velvet bases
• Dice set cut from billiard balls
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Church on one side, state on the other: the Mother Cathedral and the coat of arms, each given a whole cover and its own frame — scrolls for the church, basket weave for the arms.
• Hornbeam under the checkers: the pale points and discs are a second wood let into the walnut, so the inside reads in two tones without a drop of stain.
• 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 it really carved on both sides? Yes — the cathedral fills one cover and the coat of arms the other, both cut in deep relief from the same walnut, with rococo scrolls and lattice round the church and basket weave round the arms. The pale points and discs inside are hornbeam let into the wood, and the board is finished with natural beeswax. 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.