While Danish furniture company Cado is popular among collectors of Scandinavian modern furniture for its well-crafted chairs, sofas, coffee tables and dining tables, the brand is best known for its sculptural wall shelving systems created by renowned Danish designer Poul Cadovius (1911–2011), Cado's founder.
The Copenhagen-born Cadovius initially studied to be an upholsterer and saddler before pursuing furniture design. He began his career in the 1940s making Venetian blinds and other window treatments before shifting his focus toward designing versatile furnishings that could be adapted to all sorts of interior spaces.
In 1945, Cadovius founded the furniture manufacturer Royal System intending to produce his designs for postwar homeowners. His visionary works included 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. The wall unit was practical and functional, but it was also decorative, made of rich and exotic woods like walnut, rosewood and teak, a favorite wood of Cadovius’s and a highly sought-after material among mid-century modern designers.
Cadovius established Cado in the late 1950s. The manufacturer followed the Royal System shelving unit with several other modular storage designs including the System Ultra in 1957, System Cado in 1960 and System Abstracta in 1962. Two years later, with more than 400 patents to his name, Cadovius purchased premier Danish furniture manufacturer France & Søn and incorporated it into Cado.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Cado collaborated with influential Danish and European designers of the era such as Steen Østergaard, best known for his stackable Cado 290, a Space Age fiberglass-and-polyamide nylon lounge chair; Finn Juhl, a stylistic maverick who embraced expressive, free-flowing shapes in chair and sofa designs much earlier than his colleagues; and Ole Wanscher, who drew on Shaker furniture and Chippendale forms and created the widely loved Colonial chair and coffee table for P. Jeppesens Møbelfabrik.
Cadovius’s designs — as well as the other works manufactured by Cado — are widely coveted by vintage furniture enthusiasts all over the world. In 2018, the Danish brand dk3 reissued the Royal System as well as a more compact version.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Cado case pieces and storage cabinets, seating and tables.
Ole Wanscher, set of 6 Danish leather and Mahogany dining chairs for CADO, 1960s
By Ole Wanscher, Cado
Located in Uppsala, SE
Set of 6 leather and Mahogany dining chairs designed by Danish designer Ole Wanscher for CADO in the 1960s. The set contains of 2 armchairs and 4 normal chairs. Newly upholstered sea...
Leather, Mahogany
Set of Four Steen Østergaard Dining Chairs A-Line 290, CADO, Denmark, 1960s.
By Cado, Steen Ostergaard
Located in Praha, CZ
- rare type - stackable - marked - space age era
Faux Leather, Plastic
Steen Ostergaard Model 290 Pair of Red Chair for Cado, 1970
By Steen Ostergaard, Cado
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Steen Ostergaard model 290 red plastic stacking chairs manufactured by Cado, 1970. Set of 2. With some scratches and marks.
Plastic
Set of Six Ole Wanscher Dining Chairs for CADO, Denmark 1960s
By Ole Wanscher, Cado
Located in Utrecht, NL
Ole Wanscher was a leading figure in Danish and Scandinavian design, as was his mentor, the legendary Kaare Klint, renowned to be the “father” of modern Danish furniture design. Toge...
Fabric, Wood
Set of 4 MK16 Folding Safari Chairs by Mogens Koch for Cado, Denmark
By Cado, Mogens Koch
Located in New York, NY
Set of 4 MK16 folding Safari chairs designed in 1932 by Mogens Koch and produced in 1960's by Cado, Denmark. Stained beech wood, leather, brass and new canvas upholstery.
Brass
$5,743 / set
H 29.14 in W 23.63 in D 15.75 in
Set of Four Mid Century Glossy Mint Green Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$9,332 / set
H 30.32 in W 19.69 in D 20.48 in
Ole Wanscher Set of Twelve Refinished Mahogany Dining Chairs, Custom Upholstery
By Ole Wanscher, Poul Jeppesens Møbelfabrik
Located in Knebel, DK
This set of 12 mahogany Rungstedlund dining chairs designed by Ole Wanscher were produced during the 1960s and 1970s by Poul Jeppesen Furniture. The dining chairs are part of the Rungstedlund dining furniture series designed by Ole Wanscher and named after author and adventurer Karen Blixen...
Mahogany
$4,307 / set
H 29.53 in W 20.48 in D 17.72 in
Set of Four Mid Century Sea Blue Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, Europe, 1960s
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 70s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østergaa...
Plastic
Mogens Koch ‘Mk-16’ Safari Chair for Rud Rasmussen
By Rud Rasmussen, Mogens Koch
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Mogens Koch furniture designed a lot of award wining midcentury furniture. The Danish architect was known for his functional approach to furniture design and for prioritizing comfort and accessibility. Koch also drew on older traditions and techniques. His chairs and tables show the influence of the Shaker Style and Englisch pieces of the 18th century. Koch was born in Copenhagen and attended the Royal Danisch Academy of fine Arts. After graduating, he worked as an assistant to Kaare Klint, an important figure in Danish modernism who was responsible for establishing the furniture design program at Koch’s alma mater. Klint favored historical styles and inspired Koch to view furniture design as an evolutionary process built on the traditions of the past. Over the course of their partnership, in the late 1920s, Koch began creating modular bookcases. In 1932, Rud Rasmussen began to produce Koch designs. An early Koch seating design that the Danish manufacturer made was the MK Safari...
Leather, Beech
Set of Four Red Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$3,290
H 87 in W 50 in D 50 in
Mid-Century modern scandinavian chair Folding MK16 by Mogens Koch. New product.
By Mogens Koch, GETAMA
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mogens Koch designed the MK16 Folding Chair for a supplemental church seating contest, reinterpreting the traditional folding stool by pairing easy fold...
Leather, Oak
Danish teak dining chairs 1960s, set of 6
By Mid Century Antiques
Located in Gaggenau, DE
Danish teak dining chairs 1960s, set of 6 The chair frames are made from solid teak and and are in Good condition. Made in Denmark in the 60s Dimensions: Width: 52 cm Depth: 4...
Faux Leather, Teak
$2,153
H 34.26 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Mid-Century Modern Scandinavian Chair Folding MK16 by Mogens Koch, New Product
By GETAMA, Mogens Koch
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mogens Koch designed the MK16 folding chair for a supplemental church seating contest, reinterpreting the traditional folding stool by pairing easy fold...
Fabric, Oak
$1,196 / item
H 29.14 in W 23.63 in D 15.75 in
Mid Century Glossy Orange Cado Chair, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$4,666 / set
H 30.32 in W 19.69 in D 20.48 in
Ole Wanscher set of Six Refinished Mahogany Dining Chairs, Custom Upholstery
By Poul Jeppesens Møbelfabrik, Ole Wanscher
Located in Knebel, DK
This set of six mahogany Rungstedlund dining chairs designed by Ole Wanscher were produced during the 1960s and 1970s by Poul Jeppesen Furniture. The dining chairs are part of the ...
Mahogany
$5,743 / set
H 31.11 in W 21.26 in D 19.69 in
Set of 6 Poul Cadovius Dining Chairs for Cado, Denmark, 1959
Located in Brecht, BE
A very comfortable set of dining room chairs, 4 chairs and 2 armchairs, dimensions of the chairs H 79/45 x W 54 x D 50 cm, dimensions of th...
Fabric, Teak
$3,828
H 34.65 in W 70.87 in D 27.56 in
Ole Wanscher Senator Sofa by Cado, Teak Frame & Aniline Leather
By Ole Wanscher, Cado
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Ole Wanscher three-seat sofa new upholstered with vintage aniline leather. Made of solid teak. Model senator, made by Cado.
Leather, Teak
Steen Ostegaard Model 290 Chairs for Cado, Set of 4, 1970s
By Cado
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Mid century space age 'model 290' stacking chairs by Steen Ostegaard for Cado. Striking design and colour. Cna be used in and outdoor. Good condition with normal age related...
Plastic
Space Age “Cantilever 290” Chairs by Steen Ostergaard, 1971
By Cado, Steen Ostergaard
Located in Hilversum, NL
Chair “Cantilever 290”: solid cast plastic structure. Published by “Cado” in 1970. The five chairs have a white plastic seat frame and a seat made of checked textile fabric. Also ...
Plastic, Fabric
Dining Chairs by Steen Ostergaard for Cado, 1966
By Cado
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Set of 4. Steen Ostergaard Cado period molded plastic all original stack chairs with original cushion in all original condition, rare and unusual...
Plastic
Dining or Outdoor Chairs by Steen Ostergaard for Cado, 1966
By Cado
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Vintage Scandinavian molded plastic a-line model 290 chairs by Steen Ostergaard for Cado, 1970s, Set of 4. Steen Ostergaard Cado period molded pl...
Oak
10 Danish Midcentury Teak Dining Chairs
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Oakland, CA
Mid-Century dining chairs attributed to Paul Cadovius for Cado. Crafted of solid walnut frames with dramatic curved backrests of teak. Solid construction, great for a residential or ...
Teak
Set of Four Molded Plastic Steen Ostergaard Cado Chairs
By Cado
Located in Westport, CT
Set of Steen Ostergaard Cado period Molded plastic all original Stack chairs with original removable cushion in all original mint condition,rare ...
Fabric, Plastic, Wood