Poul Cadovius founded the furniture manufacturer Royal System in 1945. While the Danish designer is most famous for his novel modular floating shelving systems, 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.
Royal System was a home for producing Cadovius’s designs, which 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.
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 by vintage mid-century modern furniture collectors and design enthusiasts alike.
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 vintage Royal System shelving units, bookcases and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Poul Cadovius Royal System Teak Modular Wall Unit Danish Mid-Century Modern 1960
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impressive Danish Mid-Century Modern modular wall unit crafted in warm teak and dating to the 1960s. This versatile wall-mounted system combines generous storage with a functional wo...
Teak
Poul Cadovius for Cado/Royal System 3-Bay Wall Unit in Brazilian Rosewood
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed in the late 1960s by Poul Cadovius, this 2nd generation wall unit was produced by Cado during the same time period. Cado as a company was founded when Poul began selling his...
Glass, Rosewood
$3,236 / item
Poul Cadovius Royal System Beech wood Bookcase 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Den Haag, NL
Iconic Poul Cadovius Royal wall system ..Three uprights ,comes with 16 Beechwood shelves , complete with all the brackets ,and hardware . Ideal bookcase or storage space . Signed ...
Beech
Poul Cadovius Freestanding Modular Wall Unit System for Royal System, 1960s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in The Hague, NL
Original freestanding wall unit designed by Poul Cadovius, model Royal, in the 1960s for Royal System, Denmark. Freestanding wall unit consists 3 black metal uprights, one cabinet an...
Metal
$3,360Sale Price|20% Off
Poul Cadovius 'Abstracta' Metal, Teak, Glass Modular Display Unit, Denmark 1960
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Minimal Danish design modular display shelving by Paul Cadovius Around 1960 Poul Cadovius made a huge impact on the shelving area of the Danish furniture industry – he designed a freestanding modular based shelving system in metal with endless combinations and able be assembled without using tools...
Metal
Poul Cadovius hanging Royal Wall System 1950s Denmark
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Den Haag, NL
For sale this iconic Royal System by Poul Cadovius 1950s in the rare African Bonkonko Wood Beautiful warm light color . 4 uprights 2 Cabinets 12 shelves ....
Wood
$4,413
H 78.75 in W 96.07 in D 14.97 in
Danish Modern 3-Bay Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1950s.
By Cado, Poul Cadovius
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Modern 3-Bay Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern 3 bay shelving system model Royal. This is an original vintage floating ...
Teak
$1,471
H 78.94 in W 32.88 in D 9.65 in
Danish Modern 1-Bay Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s.
By Cado, Poul Cadovius
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Modern 1-Bay Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s. Mid-Century Modern 1 bay shelving system model Royal. This is an original vintage floating bookcase desi...
Teak
$1,264Sale Price|20% Off
H 18 in W 30 in D 16 in
Poul Cadovius Cado Teak Wall Shelf Units, 'Three Pieces'
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Set of three Poul Cado wall units. One is a three drawer cabinet measures - 30"W x 16"D x 18"H One drop down bar cabinet measures - 30"W x 14.5"Dx16H ...
Teak
$2,412
H 58.47 in W 64.38 in D 14.97 in
Danish Modern 2-Bay Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s.
By Cado, Poul Cadovius
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Modern 2-Bay Modular Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s. Mid-Century Modern 2 bay shelving system model Royal. This is an original vintage floating bookcase desi...
Teak
$5,520 / set
H 80 in W 95 in D 21.25 in
Poul Cadovius for Cado Rosewood 3 Bay Danish Modern Shelving Unit
By Cado, Poul Cadovius
Located in New Windsor, NY
Rosewood three bay modular shelving unit designed by Poul Cadovius for Cado. Circa 1968. The Cado System is comprised of 26 separate parts: four wall mounted brackets, 12 shelf supports, three cabinets and seven shelves. There are two drop front cabinets, one for records which includes wire partitions and the other has a mirrored back with white laminate tops and the largest has two doors with a sliding surface for a stereo turntable...
Brass, Metal
Large Danish Teak Wall Bookcase by Poul Cadovius, F139
By Poul Cadovius
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Large wall bookcase from the 60's designed by the Danish designer Poul Cadovius. This bookcase is composed of different modular elements on three ...
Teak
$1,882
H 77.96 in W 31.5 in D 18.9 in
Danish Modern 1-Bay Walnut Modular Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado 1960s.
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Modern 1-Bay Walnut Modular Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado 1960s. Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern 1 bay shelving system model Cado with back panel. This is a original vi...
Walnut
Danish Rosewood Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado, 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Rosewood Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Cado 1960s. Danish Mid-Century Modern 1 bay shelving system model Cado. This is a original vintage floating bookcase designed by Danis...
Rosewood
1960s wall shelf, Poul Cadovius
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Neuss, NW
Classic shelving system from the 1960s. The high-quality containers and shelves are veneered in teak. The system consists of nine shelves, a record container, and three wooden ladder...
Wood, Teak
$4,589Sale Price|40% Off
H 73.04 in W 93.71 in D 16.54 in
1960s Poul Cadovius for Cado 3-Bay Rosewood Wall Unit
By Poul Cadovius, Cado
Located in Knebel, DK
1960s Poul Cadovius for Cado 3-bay rosewood wall unit manufactored by Cado We are selling this rosewood wall unit as is for a client who has owned it for many years but no longer ha...
Rosewood
$7,946 / set
H 78.75 in W 127.96 in D 15.75 in
Poul Cadovius Vintage 1960s Royal Teak Wall System with 4 Cabinets
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Den Haag, NL
Look at this stunning hanging Wall System, warm Teak Color . Iconic design by Poul Cadovius . Signed . 4 Cabinets, one rare high Cabinet comes with two Thick glass shelves, one Cabi...
Teak
Mid-Century Poul Cadovius Teak Two Part Wall System for Royal
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wall-mounted modular shelving system by Poul Cadovius for Royal Systems combines three teak shelves with a floating drawer cabinet. Black enameled metal brackets and black lacquered ...
Metal, Enamel
Modular Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal System, 1950s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Ranst, VAN
Danish modular wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal System, produced in Denmark in the 1960s. This teak setup has two drawer cabinets, two display cabinets and six bookshelves. Alway...
Metal
Poul Cadovius Teak Bookcase Shelves For Royal System 1960s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Den Haag, NL
Iconic Poul Cadovius for Royal System . Denmark 1960s Bookcase . The perfect solution , for your storage problems Takes not muts space ,and can holt a lot . Rare...
Teak
Sold
H 106.3 in W 192.92 in D 31.5 in
Poul Cadovius Room Divider Teak Royal Wall System Free standing shelving Unit
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Store Heddinge, DK
A rare opportunity to acquire an original free-standing room divider with 7 solid teak poles (only 6 photographed) from Poul Cadovius’ iconic Royal System. Designed in 1948, the Roya...
Metal
Modular Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal System, 1950s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Ranst, VAN
Danish modular wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal System. This teak setup has one drawer cabinet, one woven bar cabinet, one reading shelf, one desk shelf, four black wooden wall l...
Metal
Sold
H 85 in W 95 in D 20 in
Poul Cadovious "SYSTEM ROYAL" 3-Bay Teak Wall Unit 3 Media Cabinets & 8 Shelves
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed by Poul Cadovius, this wall unit was made in the 1960s by Royal System in Denmark. It feaures two different systems, with eight total uprights, four long and four short. The...
Wood, Teak
"Royal System" Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius, Denmark, 1950s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Karis, Nyland
Great Danish modern teak wall unit ”Royal System” designed by Poul Cadovius, circa 1950s. This piece contains 2 shelves, one cabinet with glass sliding doors, one with drop-down do...
Brass
Modular wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal System
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Ranst, VAN
Danish modular wall unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal System. This teak setup with black lats has one storage cabinet and four bookshelves. Always ad...
Metal
Poul Cadovius modular Teak Wall system Denmark 1960s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Den Haag, NL
Poul Cadovius Royal Wall system 1960s Denmark .consisting of . 3 uprights Three cabinets . One display Glass door cabinet ,One Large Three drawers cabinet ,and one small cabinets wi...
Teak
Large "Royal System" Teak Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius, 1950s
By Royal System, Poul Cadovius
Located in Karis, Nyland
Great XXL size Danish modern teak wall unit ”Royal System” designed by Poul Cadovius, circa 1960s. This piece contains 9 shelves, one cabinet with glass sliding doors, one with dro...
Brass
Poul Cadovius Room Divider Teak Royal Wall System Denmark 1960s
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Den Haag, NL
For sale this very exclusive and rare poul cadovius room divider comes with 2 Steel telescopic legs, works with a spring .so is adjustable in height . can be used on both sides .com...
Teak
Poul Cadovius Royal System, 2 Bay Unit
By Poul Cadovius, Royal System
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Poul Cadovius 2 Bay Royal System. Set includes one large cabinet, measures 34.5 x 45" tall and 14.75 deep, opens to reveal 4 shelves for storage. Four 8" deep shelves and one 12.5 ...
Metal