Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Elephant

Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Elephant

An elephant is an odd thing to find on a board carved in the Caucasus, and that is precisely why it is worth having. It stands at the centre of this hand-carved wooden backgammon set in deep relief, ears out, trunk curling, the whole heavy shape of it caught in a frame of carved scrollwork inside a fine border. The carver had no local model to copy and no shortcut to take — an elephant is all volume and folded skin, and it either reads as one or it does not.

Everywhere it appears, the animal means the same handful of things: strength, memory and good luck, which is a fair set of qualities to put in front of two players and a pair of dice. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field is waiting. The memory part is the joke, of course — whoever you play, they will remember exactly how the last game ended, and they will mention it. Carry this handmade backgammon board in by its cut-out handle and let them.

What's Included

• Backgammon board with bronze hinges, clasps and a cut-out carry handle
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood
• A pair of dice and a carrying bag

Specifications

• Folded: 30 x 60 cm / 11.8 x 23.6"
• Open playing field: 60 x 60 cm / 23.6 x 23.6"
• Weight: 5 kg / 11 lb
• Wood: solid beech, with bronze hinges and clasps
• Entirely handmade

Why It Stands Out

• An elephant carved by hand in deep relief — all volume, the hardest kind of animal to get right
• Scrollwork and a fine carved border framing it across the lid
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade wooden backgammon board with a motif nobody else at the club will have

A Gift With Good Luck In It

Elephants are given for luck almost everywhere they are carved, and this one comes with something to test the luck on. A good present for a new home, a new job, or a player who insists the dice have been against them all year.