Howling Wolf Backgammon Set with Classic Outline

Howling Wolf Backgammon Set with Classic Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

A wolf on a rock, head thrown back, howling at a full moon carved as a pale disc — in deep relief inside a rope-and-bead ring. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for the lone-wolf type, and the cabin on the ridge. The wolf stands in full relief on a carved outcrop of rock, muzzle raised, tail low, the fur cut in short strokes; behind it the moon is a smooth pale disc with faint rings, so the animal reads as a silhouette against light. The ring around it is roped and beaded, the fields either side are cut into fine honeycomb stipple, and lobed panels of diamond lattice fill the corners under a dark chestnut stain.

Open, it is a plain dark game — chestnut field, fleur-de-lys-tipped points in pale and dark, a scrolled wheel on either half, an ornate bronze hinge — and the back cover carries eternity whirls. For the hunting cabin, a first serious board, and anyone who has stopped to listen to one at night.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained dark chestnut and varnished, the moon disc left pale
• Carving: howling wolf on a rock outcrop in deep relief against a smooth pale moon disc with faint rings, inside a rope-and-bead ring; honeycomb-stippled fields; lobed corner panels of diamond lattice; rope borders; eternity whirls on the back
• Outline: Classic — a square frame with a moulded rim
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and 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

• Silhouette against the moon: the disc behind the wolf is left smooth and pale while the animal is carved in full depth, so it stands out like a cut-out against light.
• Lattice to the edge: the lobed corner panels are cut in diamond lattice and the fields in honeycomb stipple, so the whole lid is worked, not just the ring.
• 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 carving real? Yes. The wolf and the rock are carved in deep relief into the beech, the moon disc is left smooth and pale inside the same ring, and the stipple, lattice and rope borders are cut into the same lid. Stain and varnish come last; nothing is printed, cast 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.