Gentleman Cat in a Top Hat Backgammon Set

Gentleman Cat in a Top Hat Backgammon Set — Handmade in Armenia

A cat in a black top hat, a feather tucked in the band, a monocle on a chain over one eye and a bow tie at its throat looks out from the rope-bordered roundel of this carved backgammon set. The roundel sits on a stippled lobed panel with a diamond lattice cut around it to the edges. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ open, 30 × 60 cm folded, handmade in Armenia.

The hat is stained black against the brown of the fur, so the portrait reads from across the room. The reverse of the wooden backgammon board carries an inlaid chequered panel of pale and dark squares with a whorl disc carved at either end.

Inside, an eight-pointed star is inlaid in pale wood inside a leaf-scroll ring at the centre of each half, with pale arrow-tipped points either side, an arcade along the far edge and three dice recesses in each rail. Thirty-two wooden checkers and a pair of dice are included.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, dark stained with a black-stained hat and pale wood inlays, brass hinges and clasps
• Carving: cat portrait in a top hat, monocle and bow tie inside a rope-bordered roundel, lobed stippled panel, diamond lattice border; inlaid chequered panel between two whorl discs on the other face
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, beech and walnut; dice
• Inside: pale inlaid points with arrow tips and an inlaid eight-pointed star in a scroll ring in each half; arcaded far edge, three dice recesses per side rail
• Hardware: brass hinges and two side clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding beech backgammon board
• 32 wooden checkers, beech and walnut
• Dice

Why You'll Love It

• A cat with a wardrobe: top hat, feather, monocle and bow tie, all carved and the hat picked out in black.
• Whiskers you can count: each one is a separate cut standing off the stippled ground of the roundel.
• Stars inside: an eight-pointed star inlaid in pale wood at the centre of each player's half.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is it a realistic cat? It is a character portrait — a tabby's face with a gentleman's outfit, cut in relief and stained in two tones. The old listing described a poised cat with a curved back; the photos show this dressed-up head and shoulders in a roundel, nothing else.

What about shipping and returns? Shipping is free worldwide and tracked. Every set is covered by our 30-day returns policy.

How do I look after it? Brush the carving with a soft dry brush and wipe the flat surfaces with a dry cloth. Keep the board out of direct sun and store it closed with the checkers inside.

Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh.