Poul Cadovius Wall System, Shelf, Teak Denmark 1958
View Similar Items
Poul Cadovius Wall System, Shelf, Teak Denmark 1958
About the Item
- Creator:Poul Cadovius (Designer),Cado (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 77.17 in (196 cm)Width: 125.99 in (320 cm)Depth: 15.75 in (40 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:ca. 1960`s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Frankfurt / Dreieich, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU98081200384
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.
- Poul Cadovius for Royal System Wall System Book Shelves in Teak, Denmark, 1950sBy Poul Cadovius, Royal SystemLocated in Amsterdam, NLLarge freestanding wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal system. With 4 black metal risers and teak veneer cabinets and shelves. 1x cabinet with sliding doors 42.5 x 37,5 x 160 cm ...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
MaterialsMetal
- Danish Modern Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960sBy Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in Asaa, DKVintage Danish teak wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s. Mid-Century Modern 4 bay shelving system model Royal. This is a original vintage floating bookcase designed in 1948...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
MaterialsTeak
- Danish Modern Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado 1950sBy Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in Asaa, DKVintage Danish teak wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1950s. Mid-Century Modern 2 bay shelving system model Royal. This is a original vintage floating bookcase designed in 1948 by Danish architect Poul Cadovius. Cadovius had the revolutionary idea to design a floating, modular shelving system that would maximize floor space and signify the end of conformity in shelving. The Royal System shelving unit...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
MaterialsTeak
- Poul Cadovius 4 "Royal System" Columns in Teak, 1970By Poul CadoviusLocated in Paris, FRRoyal System" wall unit by Poul Cadovius, in teak, with seven shelves and four boxes. The set is supported by a hanging system of wooden brackets. Dimensions of the elements : - 2 modules with sliding doors: D.40 x H.43 x W.80 cm - 1 module with flaps and drawers : D.40 x H.43 x W.80 cm - 1 storage module for vinyl : D.40 x H.43 x W.80 cm - 6 shelves : D.22 x W.80 cm - 1 shelf : D.30 x W.80 cm The "Royal System" : the modular Scandinavian design These design shelves are fully modular. The elements are attached to the wall moldings...Category
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
MaterialsTeak
- Large Danish modular teak shelf by Poul Cadovius 1960.By Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FRScandinavian shelf/library composed of (each element measures 80 cm wide): - 6 shelves 22 cm deep - 1 shelf 38 cm deep - A storage module with 2 sliding doors which open onto a large...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak
- Danish Modern Teak & Glass Shelving System Abstracta by Poul Cadovius, 1960sBy Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in Odense, DKIngenious minimalist shelving or display unit SYSTEM ABSTRACTA designed by Poul Cadovius, Denmark, in the 1960s. The system consists of black metal...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
MaterialsMetal