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Vintage Danish Abstracta Corner Bookcase by Poul Cadovius, 1960s

About the Item

Vintage Danish Abstracta corner bookcase by Poul Cadovius, 1960s. Mid-Century Modern minimalistic shelving unit system Abstracta, Denmark designed in 1962 by Danish architect Poul Cadovius. He was also known for designing the very popular wall unit system Cado Royal in 1948. The Abstracta system consists of black steel tubes with patented connectors in aluminum. Shelves could be either wood or glass. This system was designed to fit with the Scandinavian Modern light and airy style and floating appearance with its very slim elements. Over the years, the Abstracta system has won countless design awards both in Denmark and abroad, including the 1992 ID Award in Denmark. It has also featured in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) since 1967. The original glass shelves in the photos are very brittle and fragile, and will not be included with this bookcase. New shelves must be provided by the buyer. 12 shelves are needed for this unit. 8 in size: 32.2 x 58 cm and 4 in size: 32.2 x 32.2 cm. These shelves can be made of clear or colored glass, wood, stone or metal. No holes are needed, shelves simply rests on included metal brackets. Will be shipped disassembled. There is no front or back on this system and it is therefore also suitable as a freestanding bookcase or room divider. This is an early unit, as seen from the connectors where some are marked with "Pat. pend." Also marked "Denmark" and "system Abstracta". Wear consistent with age and use. Some paint loss and rust. No glass shelves included!

Creator:

Poul Cadovius (Designer, Manufacturer)

Dimensions:

Height: 61.03 in (155 cm)Width: 37.41 in (95 cm)Depth: 37.41 in (95 cm)

Style:

Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Aluminum,Steel

Place of Origin:

Denmark

Period:

1960-1969

Date of Manufacture:

1960-1969

Condition:

Additions or alterations made to the original: No glass shelves included! Wear consistent with age and use. Wear consistent with age and use. Some paint loss and rust. No glass shelves included!

Seller Location:

Asaa, DK

Reference Number:

Seller: 9441stDibs: LU4897233118442

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Shop All Poul Cadovius

Poul Cadovius

While Poul Cadovius is most famous for his modular floating shelving system, his career in design didn’t actually start with wall units.

Born just outside of Copenhagen in 1911, Cadovius began manufacturing window treatments in the 1940s with his partner, Hother Brønner. He soon turned his focus from venetian blinds to furniture, finding success designing svelte pieces in teak, a richly colored hardwood favored by the Danish mid-century modernists.

In 1945, Cadovius founded the furniture manufacturer Royal System with his designs, including the 1948 Royal System shelving unit, a space-saving solution that underscored Cadovius’s penchant for problem-solving in a multifunctional way. Rather than balance shelves on wooden or metal legs, it held them to the wall with brackets. He followed it with the System Ultra in 1957, the System Cado in 1960 and the System Abstracta, which was installed throughout the exhibition halls of the 1962 Cologne Furniture Fair. All expanded on his idea of wall-mounted shelving that saved space while offering functionality, allowing for limitless combinations of storage, shelves, work surfaces and other units. The Royal System proved to be especially popular and is still produced by Danish furniture brand dk3 today, with early models continuing to be in demand.

Along with the shelving systems, Cadovius designed everything from lounge chairs to mushroom-shaped bus shelters, and he held over 400 patents. In addition to being a designer, he was also an entrepreneur with an eye for opportunity, such as purchasing Danish manufacturer France & Søn in the mid-1960s and folded it into CADO, a company he founded years earlier. He used this as an occasion to experiment with his designs, conceiving such unusual pieces as an aluminum-based dining table topped with rosewood and hand-painted by artist Susan Fjedldoe Mygge.

Cadovius’s innovations in shelving continued throughout his career, with examples like the sculptural Butterfly shelf and vertical pieces mixing shelving and storage. In 2018, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Royal System, dk3 reissued the celebrated shelving system as well as a more compact version reimagined for 21st-century homes.

Find a collection of vintage Poul Cadovius storage cabinets, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.