Pair Of 19th-century Raj-era Swat Indian Wedding Chairs

These are two 19th-century wedding chairs from the Swat Valley, originally from the northwestern part of present-day Pakistan (in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). 
The solid wood elements feature polychrome painted designs (shades of ochre, red, green, and black) with floral and geometric motifs applied . These very low chairs (miniature charpoy) are designed for sitting close to the ground. The seat is made of twisted plant-fiber straps.  The legs are turned and joined with visible through-tenons. The tops of the back legs are finished with turned finials, connected by a braided cowhide cord.
The region was part of what was known as British India (or the Indies). Before the partition of 1947, the entire territory comprising present-day Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh was encompassed under the name “India.” In the 19th century, the valley was an autonomous Pashtun tribal area organized as an emirate and later as a princely state.
A few areas where paint is missing and gaps in the braiding do not affect the stability of the piece