Aspinal of London 17-inch Backgammon Set in Deep Shine Amazon Brown Croc

Last updated on April 2, 2023

This post is all about the Aspinal of London 17-inch Backgammon set. There is a choice of three colours for this luxury backgammon set in the 17-inch size. We were instantly drawn to the Deep Shine Amazon Brown Backgammon set with the Croc print leather. The leather has a lovely chocolate lustre and it feels smooth and warm to touch. The other colours available are the Jet Black and the vibrant Berry, both with a lizard imprint on the leather. We viewed this particular set in the luxury games department of the famous Harrods on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London. Shopping at Harrods is an experience to savour. There were a number of other luxury backgammon sets that we will review at a later date. This luxury backgammon set is perfect for playing, but is also a stunning decorative piece.

Construction

This deluxe backgammon set has been crafted by hand in a cassette or attaché type design. It is the perfect size for the home at 17 inches. The cabinet has been meticulously handcrafted from solid oak and then bound in the finest Italian calf leather. The leather is patterned with a distinctive crocodile skin imprint. The brass furnishings include two lockable latches to keep the set secure when travelling. The set also has a useful leather-bound handle. Although the set is a little large to be a genuine travel set, the handle is convenient for carrying.

The playing field is a work of art. It consists of more than fifty pieces of calf leather, which have all been inlaid and sewn by hand. The leather softens the noise of the rolling dice making for quieter play. The points are seamless and the checkers glide smoothly around the board. The leather provides just enough friction to ensure the checkers don’t move if the board is nudged. Slots run along either side of the board to hold the checkers and dice when not in play.

Accessories

The set includes thirty polyester checkers, which in our opinion are the weak point of this luxury backgammon set. It would have been served better by some brass and leather checkers. The four dice and the doubling cube are made of acrylic. There was no mention of whether or not the dice were of precision quality. The pair of dice cups are leather and are tubular rather than oval in shape.

Dimensions

The dimensions of this quality backgammon set when closed are: 7.1cm x 45cm x 29.9cm and when open: 3.5cm x 45cm x 59.8cm (H x W x D). The weight is approximately 3kg.

Conclusion

The build quality of this luxury backgammon set is superb. This is designed to remain a decorative, yet practical piece, for generations. The three 17-inch sets in this collection are identical in terms of construction and quality of the material. It is really just a case of selecting your preferred leather imprint and colour. As stated, at Deluxe Backgammon our preference is the Amazon brown with the croc imprint. The acrylic checkers are the only flaw in this otherwise stunning set. However, that aside, we still class this piece as a Deluxe Backgammon set. RRP at the time of writing £750.