Mount Ararat Travel Chess and Backgammon Set with Lattice Sides

Mount Ararat Travel Chess and Backgammon Set with Lattice Sides — Handmade in Armenia

Mount Ararat rises in pale relief above a carry handle at each end of this travel chess and backgammon set, with lattice panels down both sides and leaf scrolls in the corners. 30 × 30 cm / 11.8″ × 11.8″ open, handmade in Armenia from beech, with 32 chess pieces, 32 checkers, dice and a bag.

This is the wooden chess set carved on every side. The twin peaks sit in a scrolled cartouche at the top and bottom, the handles are cut straight through the frame beneath them, the lattice runs in a band down each side, and the coordinates sit on small brass roundels beside the two-tone squares. The edge is shaped in soft scallops; folded, it is 15 × 30 cm.

Open the bronze clasp and the inside is a backgammon field with pale points and the map of Armenia, province by province, in pale wood at the centre of each half — with a cut-out handle in each leaf too. The 32 chess pieces are turned in light and dark wood and pack in the bag with the checkers and dice.

Specifications

• Size: 30 × 30 cm / 11.8″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained dark brown and varnished, with two-tone inlaid squares
• Carving: Mount Ararat in relief at each end, leaf-scroll corners, lattice side panels, dotted ground, scalloped outline, cut-out carry handles, map of Armenia and pale points inside
• Pieces: 32 wooden chess pieces in light and dark wood, 32 wooden backgammon checkers, dice set
• Hardware: bronze hinges and clasp, brass coordinate roundels, carry handle cut into the frame
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding board with carry handle — chess outside, backgammon inside
• 32 wooden chess pieces in light and dark wood
• 32 wooden backgammon checkers
• Dice set
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• Ararat at both ends: the peaks stand pale against the dark stain above each handle — you see them whichever way the board faces.
• The map inside: Armenia drawn province by province in each half of the backgammon field, a talking point every time it opens.
• Carry it by the board: a handle cut into the frame, a clasp to hold it shut, and a bag for everything else.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the mountain carved or printed? Carved. The peaks, the scrolls and the lattice are cut into the beech in relief, and the pale colour of Ararat and of the map inside is the bare wood showing through the dark stain. Nothing on this board 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 heat. Dust the carving with a soft brush, wipe the field with a dry cloth and keep the pieces, checkers and dice in the bag.

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