Mount Ararat Travel Chess and Backgammon Set with Basket Weave

Mount Ararat Travel Chess and Backgammon Set with Basket Weave — Handmade in Armenia

Mount Ararat sits in a scrolled cartouche at each end of this travel chess and backgammon set, on a frame carved in basket weave — chess outside, backgammon inside. The board is 30 × 30 cm / 11.8″ × 11.8″, handmade in Armenia from beech, with 32 wooden chess pieces, 32 checkers, a dice set and a carrying bag.

This is the wooden chess set with the deepest frame in its size. The basket weave is cut as real strips that pass over and under each other, with dotted texture in the gaps, and at the top and bottom a pair of scrolls opens around the twin peaks with small clouds above them. The coordinates are carved into the border beside the squares.

Inside, the backgammon board has pale points and the map of Armenia, province by province, in pale wood at the centre of each half. Thirty-two chess pieces in light and dark wood, the checkers and the dice pack away in the bag. For the nardi player who wanted chess too — or the other way round.

Specifications

• Size: 30 × 30 cm / 11.8″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained walnut brown and varnished
• Carving: basket-weave frame in relief, Mount Ararat in a scrolled cartouche at each end, carved coordinates, scalloped edge; map of Armenia and points in pale wood inside
• Pieces: 32 wooden chess pieces in light and dark wood, 32 wooden backgammon checkers, dice set
• Hardware: bronze hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding board — 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

• Two games in one board: chess on the lid, nardi inside — the argument about which to play is settled by turning it over.
• Deep carving: the basket weave stands well off the surface, so the frame has shadows that move with the light.
• Armenia inside: the map in each half is a talking point every time the board opens.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. The basket weave, the scrolls and the peaks are carved into the beech in relief, and the points and the map inside are pale wood left bare against the dark stain. 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. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth and store it closed in its bag.

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