Luxury Tree of Life Armenian Backgammon Set with Bronze Handle

Luxury Tree of Life Armenian Backgammon Set with Bronze Handle — Handmade in Armenia

Hung with small red fruit, a pale carved tree of life fills a beaded round at the centre of the lid on this luxury Armenian backgammon set, with a cast bronze tree in a recess at each end, carved lattice across the rest of the face and an ornate cast bronze carry handle on the top edge. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ open, handmade in Armenia.

This is the wooden backgammon set that carries its own handle: not a cut-out but a curved bronze grip cast with scrollwork and screwed to the shaped edge, with matching bronze clasps and hinges. The tree's trunk and branches are left the pale colour of the beech against a stippled ground, the fruit are small red beads, and the lattice round everything is scored fine and dark. The outer faces are finished on both sides.

Inside, the field is inlaid: pale points with arrowhead tips, an inlaid ornament in each half, long troughs in the rails; the checkers are pale and dark wooden discs, each set with a cast bronze tree, and two dice and a cloth carrying bag come with them.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood in a warm brown finish, the tree left pale, with pale inlaid points inside; cast bronze trees, handle and fittings
• Carving: tree of life in relief on a stippled ground with red fruit, beaded round, lattice across the face, shaped outline; cast bronze tree discs at each end; inlaid points and an inlaid ornament in each half inside
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, pale and dark, each with a cast bronze tree of life; pair of dice
• Handle: cast bronze carry handle on the top edge
• Hardware: cast bronze handle, hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding carved beech backgammon board with a cast bronze carry handle
• 32 wooden checkers with cast bronze trees and a pair of dice
• Cloth carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• A tree with fruit on it: pale carved branches hung with red beads, bronze trees either side.
• A handle worth looking at: cast bronze scrollwork you lift the whole board by.
• Trees on every checker: a cast bronze inset in each of the 32.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the tree bronze? No — the large tree in the middle is carved from the beech itself and left pale, with the ground round it cut back and stippled; the two small trees at the ends, the handle and the checker insets are cast bronze. The points and ornaments inside are inlaid. Nothing is printed.

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? Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Dust the carving with a soft brush, wipe the flat wood and the bronze with a dry cloth and store it closed.

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