These exquisite solid wood backgammon boards are hand inlaid in Damascus, reputed to be the oldest continuously inhabited
city in the world. For centuries the skilled artisans of Damascus have refined the art of inlaying wood with iridescent
mother-of-pearl from one generation to the next.
Today, it takes several months to construct a board by hand. The wood inlay comes from native trees, such as the
olive, apricot, almond and rosewood. The mother-of-pearl is found inside mollusk shells that have washed ashore.
Slight imperfections,
| Playing backgammon is a tradition in many nations. |
|
such as assymmetrical geometric inlay designs and knots in the wood grain, are indicative of the genuine hand craftmanship,
giving each board a unique personality.
Artisans in extended family workshops inlay geometric designs into each board. They encrust iridescent mother-of-pearl
by hand chiseling and gluing each piece into place. Next they sand the inlaid surface smooth with steel wool, and carefully
hand rub a protective varnish onto the surface of the wood. This labor intensive technique adds to the unique character
and hand craftsmanship of each set.
These backgammon boards come in three sizes: large, medium and small. Dimensions are approximate as each
board is hand made.
LARGE: 20" x 10" x 3.5" (closed); 20" x 20" x 1.75" (open)
MEDIUM: 16" x 8" x 3" (closed); 16" x 16" x 1.5" (open)
SMALL: 12" x 6" x 2.75" (closed); 12" x 12" x 1.375" (open)
Double click on image to enlarge.
| Model 2100 |
|
| $176 plus $12 shipping & insurance |
LARGE BACKGAMMON SET
The backgammon board shown on the left is inlaid with almond and rosewood and encrusted with mother-of-pearl.
| Model 2400 left. Model 2800 right. |
|
| Model 2400 is $186. Model 2800 is $208. |
LARGE BACKGAMMON SET
Model 2400 is inlaid with apricot and walnut wood and has a beautiful chessboard on the outside. Model 2800 is
inlaid with almond wood and has a darker wood patina. The photo on the left shows both boards open.
| Model 2400 left. Model 2800 right. |
|
| Model 2400 $186. Model 2800 $208. |
LARGE BACKGAMMON SET
The photo on the left shows Models 2400 and 2800 in the closed postion. The mother-of-pearl inlay design on the
outside of Model 2800 may vary slightly.
| Model 5000 |
|
| Price $325 plus $12 shipping |
LARGE BACKGAMMON SET
At left is a photo of an exquisite backgammon set heavily inlaid with olive wood and mother-of-pearl. It is truly
a functional work of art and heirloom quality. Despite its beauty, this solid wood inlaid backgammon board is built
to last a lifetime.
| Model 5000 |
|
| Double click on image to enlarge. |
LARGE BACKGAMMON SET
This photograph shows Model 5000 open. Each piece of mother-of-pearl was individually hand cut into this magnificent
backgammon set.
|
