so many variations
that in some timeframes, it seems like half the bases in any given year were in some sort of transition phase. Be it boots to swivels, or X to H, or solid to hollow, or tinkering with a leg angle or height, or bend to the metal,etc.
I was cleaning out my storage shed the other day, and I gathered all of my "later" sixties low lounge H bases (the post 1957 kind with the plastic glides) and they were all the same, except for one oddly "lower", kind of smaller one.
Just like all the others, in zinc or aluminum, and with plastic glides, but about an inch or so lower. Just weird.
I have no idea if it was earlier, later, or just some weird experiment.
Anyway, good info joshlamiel and woody, this is always real fun for me.
yeah woody
that's what I would guess too. After 1957, things seem to settle down. Once they decided on the H base (low and dining) with the white plastic glides, all the other variations must have seemed unneeded, I suppose. (Except for that weird small low H I mentioned before. Did they ever make a child's H base chair?)
And do you have a ballpark idea what the end date of the LAR cats cradle run was? Way early probably. (edit: I found it: wire seats with LAR base up to 1967)
Anyway, thanks for the H base research woody. I bet the swivel glide MAX might indeed be the last of that cool variation.
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Can someone clarify how everyone is measuring?
I have the same chair as joshlamiel...same color, paper label only, small shock mounts and lower height zinc h- base with swivel glides...but measuring from the front up to the lowest edge of the seat is only 14.5 inches....
(edited to add): same method from the back, seat height is 13 in....that can't be right?
Solange, et al
Just one more measurement to add to the confusion!
Just measured my zinc LOW H with swivel glides at the highest point of the front mounts of the base itself, with no additions, and it is 14 and 3/8 inches high.
Solange, is it at all possible that you have the low lounge H ?
it would be so cool
if it turns out that either you or joshlamiel does indeed have a MAX version of the 1956 swivel glide base.
But I am still not entirely certain.
The lounge base does have legs that could also be described as a bit more "splayed" out, and it might take a side view photo of either of your chairs to be sure.
From joshlamiel's one photo though, the base looks too tall to be a lounge. But from both of your measurements, it sounds awfully close to the lounge height.
I am rooting for both to be the MAX! (got all wrapped up in the base question, but wasn't the MAX more about the wider width of the shell seat also?)
I can't wait to get home in about 14 hours and find out if this mystery got solved. (Long day ahead) Good luck!
edit/update: Just noticed that the chair has been posted on ebay, and from the several photos provided there, it is clearly the H lounge base and not a MAX base. Exactly like the two I have. I doubt a 1956 MAX base exists.
thanks for pics!
sorry I didn't see these pictures as I was editing my last post.
I am certain that both of those bases are the lounge base. The 1956 H lounge is a beautiful and hard to find base, and among my all time favorites, but a swivel glide MAX remains a mythical figure in Eames lore for now.
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