Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Ox

Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Ox

Most animals carved onto a board are chosen for drama — the lion for its nerve, the eagle for its reach. The ox is chosen for something quieter and, frankly, harder: it simply keeps going. On this hand-carved wooden backgammon set the ox stands at the centre of the lid in deep relief, heavy through the shoulders, head low, cut with the kind of patience the animal itself is famous for. Scrollwork curls around it and a fine carved border holds the whole composition together.

It suits a particular kind of player, and you probably know whether it is you. Backgammon is not really won by the brilliant roll — it is won by the person who keeps making the small correct move, turn after turn, while the dice do whatever they like. That is ox work. Open the clasps, swing the bronze hinges back, and inside is a full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field ready for exactly that sort of evening: unhurried, stubborn, and longer than anyone planned. Pick it up by its cut-out handle and it comes with you wherever the next game is.

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

• A hand-carved ox in deep relief — the old symbol of strength, patience and honest work
• Scrollwork and a fine carved border, all cut by hand into solid wood
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade wooden backgammon board built to be used, not admired from a distance

A Gift With Some Character

Give it to the friend who never rushes a decision, or to the household where the same two people have been quietly settling scores over nardi for years. The ox has been a good-luck sign for harvests and hard work for a very long time — it does no harm at all to have it watching your dice.