Palmette Ornament Backgammon Set in Line Work

Palmette Ornament Backgammon Set in Line Work by Hrachya Ohanyan

Four palmettes round an eternity whirl, drawn in line on a pale disc, ringed with running scroll on a lid of figured beech and fine lattice. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice and a carrying bag.

This is the board for the Armenian household that wants the sign inside the flower, and the player who likes a lid with more wood than carving. The disc is pale beech left bare: a whirl spins at the centre, four palmettes open out from it with a curl between each, and a running-scroll band closes the ring; round it a fine dotted lattice fills an oval cartouche, and the rest of the cover is the flame of the grain under walnut-brown stain, edged with a scroll border.

Inside, a walnut-brown field with pale drop-tipped points, a petal wheel cut into each half and a stamped hinge on the bar; the back cover carries a whirl in line work in a lattice half-disc at either end. For the flat with wooden floors, the Yerevan grandmother's gift, and the player who wants the Armenian sign without a flag.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained walnut brown and varnished, the disc left pale
• Carving: eternity whirl with four palmettes and four curls in line work on a smooth pale disc inside a running-scroll ring; fine dotted diamond lattice in an oval cartouche; plain figured field with a scroll border; two eternity whirls in lattice half-discs on the back
• Outline: Classic — a square frame with a moulded rim
• Hardware: cast clasps and stamped metal hinges
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Wooden backgammon board with the ornament in line work
• 32 beech and walnut checkers
• Dice set
• Black carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• The sign inside the flower: the eternity whirl sits at the heart of the palmettes, so the board is Armenian at a glance and ornament at a second look.
• Wood as the pattern: most of the lid is left plain, so the flame figure of the beech shows through the stain — the ornament has room around it.
• 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 ornament carved? It is line work: the whirl, the palmettes, the scroll ring and the lattice are drawn into the surface as fine dark lines, with the disc left unstained so the pattern shows pale — flat, so nothing catches dust. The petal wheels and drop tips inside are cut the same way. Varnish goes over everything; 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 bag.

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.