Russian Coat of Arms Travel Chess and Backgammon Set

Russian Coat of Arms Travel Chess and Backgammon Set — Handmade in Armenia

The double-headed eagle of Russia is cast in metal and set into a round recess at each end of this travel chess and backgammon set, on a dotted lattice frame — and drawn again in line work in each half of the field inside. 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″ open, handmade in Armenia from beech, with checkers, dice and a bag.

This is the wooden chess set for a household that plays nardy as much as chess. Outside, the eagle is a small casting, crowns and sceptre in relief, and everything round it is a fine diamond net with a dot punched at every crossing, cut out to an edge that waves in scallops. Brass discs carry the coordinates beside the inlaid squares; the 32 pieces are turned in pale wood and dark.

Open it and the backgammon field is inside: pale points tipped with a fleur-de-lis, a row of carved arches at each end, and the eagle again, cut in dark line work at the centre of each half. Checkers and dice go in the bag with the chess pieces; the board folds to half its width on bronze hinges and clasps.

Specifications

• Size: 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″
• Material: beech wood in a red-brown stain, with inlaid pale and brown squares and brass coordinate discs
• Carving: dotted diamond lattice over the whole frame, round recess at each end holding a cast-metal double-headed eagle, waved edge; inlaid points with fleur-de-lis tips and the eagle in line work in each half inside
• Pieces: 32 turned wooden chess pieces in pale beech and dark walnut; 32 wooden backgammon checkers; pair of dice
• Folded: 20 × 40 cm / 7.9″ × 15.7″
• Hardware: bronze hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding carved beech board — chess outside, backgammon inside
• 32 turned wooden chess pieces, 16 pale and 16 dark
• 32 wooden backgammon checkers and a pair of dice
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• The eagle four times: cast in metal at each end outside, drawn in line work in each half inside.
• Chess and nardy in one: the two games of the Russian kitchen table, in a board that folds to a case.
• A frame you can feel: thousands of punched dots between the lattice lines, from the squares to the waved edge.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? The lattice is carved into the beech with a dot at every crossing, the edge is shaped in waves, the squares and the points inside are inlaid wood, the eagles inside are cut in line work, and the coordinates are brass discs. The eagles at the ends are not carved — they are cast-metal discs set into round recesses. 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.

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