Eames Tandem Shell Seating  

I recently purchased the base to an Eames Tandem Shell Seating not knowing exactly what it was, but I thought the cast aluminum legs looked nice. The base is similiar to the one on the picture but not nearly as long.

Do these pieces have much value? Or do people simply strip the shells off them? I'm thinking of the taking the legs off, cutting them down and welding a bar across them to make an interesting set of credenza legs. But I don't want to ruin something potentially valuable.