Luxury Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Leaf Ornament

Luxury Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Leaf Ornament, by Hrachya Ohanyan

At the centre of this board a leaf ornament unfolds — curling scrolls of foliage carved so deep that they stand clear of the ground and throw their own shadows, a round bud at the heart of it all. Master Hrachya Ohanyan set it in a round beaded frame on a stippled ground, filled the rest of the cover with fine carved lattice and a rope border, and cut the board in the curved, stepped contour outline that is the workshop's signature. A luxury Armenian backgammon set in the old carving tradition — leaves, scrolls and shadow, all from a single piece of wood.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and a full 23.6″ / 60 cm hand-carved wooden backgammon board opens up: a carved wheel ornament at the heart of each half, pale points tipped with small carved flourishes, and the deep grain of the board running through it all. Thirty-two checkers in light and dark wood, a dice set and the branded carrying case come with it. This is the handmade backgammon board for people who love carving for its own sake — the guests will turn it to the light before anyone rolls.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, carved from one piece and varnished
• Motif: Armenian leaf ornament carved in deep relief inside a round beaded frame; stippled ground, lattice, rope border, carved wheel ornaments inside
• Outline: signature contour silhouette with carved, stepped edges
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Handmade in Armenia by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Backgammon board with bronze hinges and clasps
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood, with velvet bases
• Dice set
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Carved in deep relief: the leaves are undercut so far that light passes beneath them — the hardest kind of carving to do, done by hand in the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop, and no two boards come out the same.
• The contour outline: the curved, stepped silhouette means you recognise one of these boards from across the room, closed or open.
• Ready for the table: full-size 23.6″ / 60 cm board, checkers in light and dark wood, dice and a carrying case — open it and play.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How big is it? Open, the board is 23.6″ / 60 cm square — the standard full size for a living-room table. Closed, it is 23.6″ × 11.8″ / 60 × 30 cm and stands on its own edge.

Is the carving real? Yes. The leaf ornament, the beaded ring, the lattice and the wheel ornaments inside are all cut into the wood by hand, not printed or pressed — slide a fingertip under a leaf and you will see how deep it goes.

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.

Can I add a name or a date? Yes — choose the engraving option on this page and tell us the text. A name or a date turns it into a personalized backgammon set, and it is the detail people remember years later.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, wipe with a dry soft cloth, and store it closed in the case.

The Leaf Ornament

Scrolling leaves are the oldest language of Armenian carvers — you find them on the doorways of Sanahin and Haghpat, in the margins of manuscripts and around the crosses of khachkars, always growing, always turning back on themselves. The carver's skill shows in how far he dares to undercut: the deeper the leaf stands off the ground, the more the ornament comes alive as the light moves. On a nardi board it is the difference between a pattern and a piece of sculpture you happen to play on.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

In 1985, National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine wood craft, introducing a new approach to the age-old traditions of woodworking. After many years of dedication, the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop was established in 2010. Every board passes through 14 stages of production, with 14 separate craftsmen leaving their mark before it reaches its finished form — a piece of wood artistry admired both in Armenia and around the world. Read the story of master Hrachya Ohanyan or explore the full Hrachya Ohanyan backgammon collection.

A Gift That Lasts Generations

For a wedding, a housewarming or the collector who already has one of everything, a hand-carved Armenian backgammon set with a leaf ornament on the cover is the backgammon gift set that speaks for the craft itself. We send it at Christmas, on Father's Day and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.