Early Poul Cadovius Royal System in Teak 1960s
View Similar Items
Early Poul Cadovius Royal System in Teak 1960s
About the Item
- Creator:Poul Cadovius (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 77.96 in (198 cm)Width: 96.46 in (245 cm)Depth: 15.16 in (38.5 cm)
- Style:Scandinavian Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Good vintage condition, ready to hang and use.
- Seller Location:Handewitt, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2486312536081
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.
- 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
- Wall Unit in Elmwood by Poul Cadovius for Royal System, Denmark, 1950sBy Royal System, Poul CadoviusLocated in Amsterdam, NLBlack wooden risers and elmwood veneer book shelves and cabinet with black metal hooks. This wall unit consist of: 2 x shelf 80 x 20 cm 1 x shelf 80 ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsMetal
- Set of 6 Butterfly Shelves in Teak by Poul Cadovius, 1950'sBy Poul CadoviusLocated in Limhamn, Skåne länSet of 6 Butterfly Shelves in Teak by Poul Cadovius, 1950's Additional Information: Material: Teak Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Produced in Denm...Category
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak
- Teak Cado System Wall Unit by Poul CadoviusBy Poul CadoviusLocated in Los Angeles, CAHighly versatile and functional wall unit in teak by Danish designer Poul Cadovius. The unit shown is an example of what we typically stock. Units are sold by the component- wall r...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
MaterialsTeak
$15,000 / item - Poul Cadovius For Royal System Cado Danish Rosewood Four Bay Wall UnitBy Royal System, Poul CadoviusLocated in Peabody, MARoyal System “Cado” four bay wall unit in rosewood, designed by Poul Cadovius circa 1960s, Denmark. Purchased by prior owner in 1973. It features floor to ceiling wall panels, floor ...Category
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
MaterialsRosewood
- 1958 Danish Teak Royal Cado Wall Unit by Poul CadoviusBy Poul CadoviusLocated in Los Angeles, CAHighly versatile and functional Cado wall unit in walnut by Danish designer Poul Cadovius. We currently have many different Cado pieces in stock and can customize your order to include the type and number of pieces you need. We have both the Royal System and the Cado systems...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves and Wall Cabinets
MaterialsTeak