BEGLERI - LARGE MANGAS - EBONY

"Carrying this set is like adding a tie to an outfit. The black ebony has a sophistication about it. Ebony is already nicely weighted wood so the large beads are perfect for slinging. The sound they make when they touch is amazing. A pleaseure for the hand, eye, and ear. "
-Jake Wiens

From AO2

The Large Mangas are Aroundsquare's first begleri designed specifically with short game flipping in mind. They play quick and springy, despite their larger than life appearance. While these are not a true sizing up of the original Mangas begleri, they have a similar modified cone shape that anchors the beads nicely due to their end weight, and allows for a unique flipping experience. Although they were designed with short game in mind, they also work quite nicely with long game—carrying more momentum than their light weight might suggest. They play with stability and control, grounded by the bottom-heavy weight distribution. They feature a 3.5mm bore which works with both 2mm (or 275) and 4mm (or 550) cord, but being very lightweight, the thinner 2mm cord is recommended.

The Mangas begleri are named after the Greek manges, a subculture of trouble-makers with a distinctive style and their own moral code. The manges (and their predecessors, the koutsavakides) were prevalent in parts of Greece from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. If you delve deep enough into the history of begleri and komboloi, you’ll no doubt encounter the manges (singular, mangas), and their beloved rebetiko music. The manges were known as a group to stay away from. They would most likely leave you alone, but they were folks you should nonetheless take very seriously. They were a tough bunch; they were wrapped up in all sorts of mischief, while at the same time being celebrated as folk heroes in song and story. Despite associations with crime and violence, the manges were also known for a distinctive sense of integrity, as well as their stability, and reliability. While there are associations with criminal activity, the manges also worked as bouncers in gambling establishments, and were even hired for protection during political rallies and other large public events. 

Why this name for these beads? Given the connection between the manges and the history of begleri, the name has been awaiting bead design for a long time. But more than that, certain aspects of the Mangas begleri indeed connect with the fabled traits of the manges themselves. The beads are tough, solid, and reliable—inherently possessing a kind of integrity of their own. They’re not afraid to be seen and heard. They move well, and are up to any challenge, but they’re not to be trifled with. With their solid feel and bottom heavy weighting, the beads will treat you with respect, but demand your respect in return.

Ebony

The Ebony wood is a slightly harder and heavier wood, with a darker and more uniform colour, dense, nicely weighted, and has fantastically smooth grain, making it a joy to handle. 

• Ebony, ~14.2g