This handsome pair of chairs come from Shangdong, eastern China and are in a rustic, vernacular style that was developed from the more elegant horseshoe armchair design. Instead of using complex joinery to produce the curved backrest from three or more pieces of wood, this version used pliable woods such as willow to bend and shape a single piece of wood, which forms both the back and arms of the chair. The arms of each chair are supported with two side posts on each side and the backrests are each decorated with a deer in carved relief to represent 'long life.' The right and left sets of legs of each chair are also produced from a single piece of shaped wood. Sold and priced as a pair, today they would make a grand statement in a modern hallway or living area.