Russian Backgammon Set - Map of Russia in Bronze

Russian Backgammon Set - Map of Russia in Bronze

The map is the pale thing at the centre — the whole country lifted out of a hand-cut cross-hatched field so that its outline reads clean from across the room. Either side of it, a bronze double-headed eagle stands guard on this handmade Russian backgammon set, one at the western end and one at the eastern, which is more or less the point the two heads have been making for five centuries. The bronze catches the lamplight; the carved wood underneath gives it nothing back.

Then you open it, and the joke lands. The whole object of nardy is bringing your men home across the board — and the lid you just folded back is a map. Inside is a full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field with the checkers waiting to make that journey the hard way, one roll at a time, while somebody on the other side of the table does everything possible to stop them. This is a luxury backgammon set in the truest sense: bronze, hand carving, real weight, and a cut-out handle so it can be carried to whichever kitchen the good games happen in.

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 details, hinges and clasps
• Entirely handmade

Why It Stands Out

• The map of Russia carved in pale relief against a hand-cut cross-hatched field
• Two bronze double-headed eagles flanking it, one at each end
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A luxury wooden backgammon board where the metal does the shining and the wood does the work

A Gift That Travels Well

For the player who left and still keeps the map somewhere in the house, or the one who never left and does not need to be reminded how big it is. Either way it ends up open on a table, which is the only place a board like this makes sense.