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.
Cadovius followed the Royal System shelving unit 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 Danish Rosewood Headboard with Auxiliary Matching Side Tables
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Queens, NY
Danish Mid-Century Rosewood Low Headboard with Matching Attached Side Tables having a shelf and drawer (POUL CADOVIUS)
Rosewood
Side Tables “Abstracta” system designed by Poul Cadovius 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Den Haag, NL
Elegant side tables 2 sizes is made of high quality chrome plated metal. It has a thin, tubular metal frame with the connections in each corner allowing the piece to be built up an...
Chrome
$3,050 / set
Poul Cadovius Chess Table
By Poul Cadovius
Located in London, Lambeth
Beautiful pair of side tables with a playing surface in rosewood and teak inlay. Simple flexible design circa 1960s by Poul Cadovius for France & Son.
Rosewood
$1,440
H 14.18 in W 35.44 in D 11.82 in
Mario Bellini "Gli Scacchi" Chess Side Tables 'for Cameleonda' for B&B Italia
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Grand Cayman, KY
Discover the timeless charm of the Mario Bellini-designed "Gli Scacchi" Side Tables/Stools, a perfect complement to the iconic Camaleonda sofa. Crafted in 1971 for B&B Italia, these ...
Plastic
1970s Fully Restored Danish Rosewood Side Table
Located in Knebel, DK
1970s fully restored Danish rosewood side table Elegant, minimalistic well crafted small Danish sidetable table. The side table has been fully restored and refinished by our cabi...
Mahogany
Severin Hansen, Side Tables, Rosewood, Denmark, 1960s
By Severin Hansen
Located in High Point, NC
A pair of rosewood side tables designed by Severin Hansen and produced by Haslev, Denmark, c. 1960s. Wear consistent with age and use. Signs of fading to table tops as illustrated....
Rosewood
Side Table, 1960s
Located in Ljubljana, SI
Vintage side table Period: 1960s Material: wood, formica Colour: Clear, dark red Condition: good original vintage condition, signs of use dimensions: Height = 58cm, di...
Hardwood
$2,162
H 15.56 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
Scandinavian Modern Square Rosewood Coffee or Cocktail Table by Poul Cadovius
By France & Søn, Poul Cadovius
Located in London, GB
Scandinavian Modern Rosewood Table by Poul Cadovius – Timeless Design Introducing a timeless piece of Scandinavian Modern design, this exquisite table is a creation of renowned desi...
Rosewood
$4,436
H 19.3 in Dm 47.05 in
Poul Cadovius Rosewood Coffee Table Designed For France & Son Circular 1960s
By Cado, Poul Cadovius
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Poul Cadovius Beautiful Rosewood Coffee Table Designed For France & Son Circular Top Inlaid With Brushed Chrome Floral Decoration Made In Denmark 1960's Poul Cadovius (1911 - 2011) was one of the most colourful and successful persons in the history of Danish furniture industry. He was originally educated as an upholsterer but became very interested in design at an early stage, and in 1945 he established his own furniture manufacturing company Royal System. A few years later, in 1948, he designed the iconic shelving system ROYAL...
Steel
$2,200
H 22.64 in W 21.07 in D 21.07 in
Danish Rosewood Coffee Table with Removable Chess Board, 1960s
By Georg Petersens Møbelfabrik, Georg Petersens
Located in Lejre, DK
Game table in rosewood, designed and made by Georg Petersen. Great original condition.
Rosewood
$5,500
H 18 in W 27.625 in D 41.5 in
1960s Brazilian Rosewood Chess/Coffee Table by Poul Cadovius for France and Son
By France & Søn, Poul Cadovius
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Rosewood and Aluminum Chess Coffee Table, designed by Paul Cadovius for France & Son in Denmark in 1965. This example dates to the 1960s. The top is done in rosewood with i...
Aluminum, Chrome, Steel
$5,752
H 20.87 in Dm 49.61 in
Lilly Just Lichtenberg for Poul Cadovius Table ceramik Denmark 1960 Signed
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Paris, IDF
Lilly Just Lichtenberg low table for Poul Cadovius, Denmark 1960. Handmade ceramic in terracotta and green tones on a metal base. Signed by the ...
Metal
$4,750
H 17.72 in W 27.56 in D 41.34 in
Rare Chess, Coffee/Coctail Tables By Poul Cadovius For France and Son
By Poul Cadovius, France & Søn
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare square and rectangular set of 2 tables designed by Poul Cadovius and produced by France and Søn in the 1960s. Both tables are inlaid with hardwood veneer and steel chess board g...
Aluminum, Steel
Poul Cadovius Round Dining Table Aluminum & Melamine
By Poul Cadovius, France & Søn
Located in Hanover, MA
Poul Cadovius (1911-2011) early 1960s round single pedestal dining/breakfast table with a tulip form spun aluminum round base and integrated stem supporting a satin finish white mela...
Aluminum
1960s Rolling Side Table Rosewood & Chrome Denmark
By Milo Baughman
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Denmark Modern Rectangular Side Table Rosewood & Chrome Casters Single recessed rosewood drawer. Unmarked. Style of Milo Baughman ...
Chrome
Poul Cadovius Coffee Table in Rosewood, Denmark 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, France & Søn
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Poul Cadovius coffee table in veenered rosewood, steel details. Made by France & Son.
Aluminum
Sold
H 17.33 in W 13 in D 11.82 in
Set of 2 ‘Cubex’ Side Tables by Poul Cadovius for Cado, Denmark 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Antwerp, BE
Set of 2 ‘Cubex’ side tables by Poul Cadovius for Cado, Denmark 1960s. These tables are made out of Oregon pine and features black lacquered joints. Both re in a very well presented ...
Pine
Poul Cadovius Coffee Table in Rosewood, Denmark 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, France & Søn
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Poul Cadovius coffee table in partly solid rosewood, chess pattern. Made by France & Son.
Rosewood
Sold
H 17.72 in W 27.56 in D 27.56 in
Santos Rosewood and Aluminium Coffee Table by Poul Cadovious for France and Son
By Poul Cadovius, France & Søn
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
A very nice coffee table, sometimes by Poul Cadovious, the nicely figured Santos Rosewood ( a species which does not require CITES certification) with aluminium edges and legs. A ver...
Aluminum
Sold
H 17.72 in W 27.56 in D 27.56 in
Santos Rosewood and Aluminium Coffee Table by Poul Cadovious for France and Son
By Poul Cadovius, France & Søn
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
A very nice coffee table, sometimes by Poul Cadovious, the nicely figured Santos Rosewood ( a species which does not require CITES certification) with aluminium edges and legs. A ver...
Aluminum
Paul Cadovius Danish Teak Coffee Table
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A sled leg teak wood coffee table with checker board styled top manufactured by the Cado Furniture company, Denmark.
Pair of Rosewood "Chess" Side Tables by Poul Cadovius
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Pair of rosewood "Chess" side tables by Poul Cadovius for Cado.
Rosewood