Peacock and Stars Backgammon Set with Classic Outline

Peacock and Stars Backgammon Set with Classic Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

A peacock turns its head inside a rope-and-bead ring, tail falling in a curtain of eye-feathers, small stars carved in the air around it. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan on the classic square frame. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for someone who wants an animal without a hunt. The bird is carved in relief on a fine cross-hatched ground: crest up, neck curved back over its shoulder, wing tucked, and the tail dropping straight down in row after row of rounded eye-feathers, each one cut with its own centre. Around the head, a scatter of little stars. The ring is rope-and-bead; beyond it the lid is diamond lattice in cusped panels, in a pale honey stain.

The inside is kept quiet so the bird gets the attention: fleur-de-lys-tipped points in pale and dark wood, a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring on each half, a bronze hinge on the bar, eternity whirls on the back. For the bird lover, the bedroom-shelf board, and the buyer who wants something gentler than a tiger.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained honey chestnut and varnished
• Carving: peacock in profile with a hanging tail of eye-feathers and carved stars round its head, in relief inside a rope-and-bead ring on a cross-hatched ground; diamond lattice with cusped panels; 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

• A bird, not a beast: the peacock is the calm animal in the range — feathers rather than fangs — for a room that does not want to be growled at.
• Feathers you can count: the tail is carved eye by eye, every feather with its own centre, so the closer you look the more there is.
• 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 peacock, its tail and the stars are carved in relief into the beech, the ground behind it is cross-hatched, and the ring and lattice are cut into the same surface. Stain and varnish go on last; 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.