Elephant Head Backgammon Set with Handle — Handmade in Armenia
Ears spread and trunk hanging between the tusks, an elephant's head looks out of this carved backgammon set — skin folds cut as ridges, deep relief on a cross-hatched ground inside a rope-rimmed roundel, leaf scrolls either side, rope border, wavy-edged lid. A cut-out carry handle passes through each half. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ open, handmade in Armenia.
Shut and flipped, the board shows its inlaid face: pale and dark squares set flush across the middle between two carved leaf-and-grape cartouches, the second grip cut through the top.
The open board in the photos carries arrow-tipped points, a sunburst flower in a scrolled ring in each half and a trough along each outer rail beside the grip, with pale and dark wooden checkers and a dice set laid out on it; brass-toned hinges join the halves.
Specifications
- Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
- Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
- Material: beech wood, medium brown stain with pale wood inlay in the chequered panel, brass-toned hinges
- Carving: an elephant's head face-on with spread ears, hanging trunk and tusks, in deep relief in a rope-rimmed roundel on a cross-hatched ground, leaf scrolls either side, a rope border and stippled corner triangles on a wavy-edged lid; leaf-and-grape cartouches flanking an inlaid chequered panel on the other face
- Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, pale and dark, grooved faces; two dice
- Carry handle: cut-out grip through the top edge of both halves
- Inside: incised arrow-tipped points and an incised sunburst flower in a scrolled ring in each half; checker trough along each outer rail
- Hardware: brass-toned hinges with an ornate one at the centre of the spine
- Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia
What's Included
- Folding beech backgammon board with carry handle
- 32 wooden checkers, pale and dark
- Two dice
- Carrying bag
Why You'll Love It
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Head-on: the ears fan out to the rope rim and the trunk drops to the bottom of the roundel, so the whole circle is elephant.
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Volume in the wood: the forehead and ears stand well proud of the stippled ground — the deepest relief in the animal series.
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Carried by its edge: a grip is cut through each half, so the closed board lifts without a strap.
Good to Know Before You Buy
Is the whole elephant carved? No, the carving is the head alone, face-on. Checkers, a dice set and a carrying bag are included.
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 ears, the trunk and the cross-hatched ground with a soft dry brush and wipe the flat faces with a dry cloth. Keep it out of direct sun and away from heat; store it closed with the checkers inside.
Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh.
