Shelving System by Poul Cadovius Royal Teak Mid-Century Danish Modern Design
View Similar Items
Shelving System by Poul Cadovius Royal Teak Mid-Century Danish Modern Design
About the Item
- Creator:Poul Cadovius (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 78.15 in (198.5 cm)Width: 161.42 in (410 cm)Depth: 15.75 in (40 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1956
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Berlin, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU98091792522
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
- 1960s Poul Cadovius Modular Teak 3-Bay Danish Royal System Wall Unit ShelvingBy Poul Cadovius, Royal SystemLocated in Sherborne, DorsetThis highly versatile and functional “Royal System” was originally designed by Poul Cadovius in 1948. This three-bay teak shelving system offers a wide variety of storage and display...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsMetal
- 1960s Poul Cadovius Modular Teak 3-Bay Danish Royal System Wall Unit ShelvingBy Poul Cadovius, Royal SystemLocated in Sherborne, DorsetThis highly versatile and functional “Royal System” was originally designed by Poul Cadovius in 1948. This useful three-bay teak shelving system offers a wide variety of storage and ...Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsMetal
- Danish Poul Cadovius Wall Unit, Mid-Century Modern Shelf Royal System, DenmarkBy Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in München, BavariaDimensions (Width x Depth x Height) ca. 240 x 40 / 50 x 203 cm Elevate your living space with this vintage mid-midcentury modern Poul Cadovius Royal System Wall Unit, a true masterpiece of Scandinavian design. Crafted by the iconic Danish designer Poul Cadovius in the 1950s, the Royal System is celebrated for its versatility, functionality, and timeless aesthetic. Crafted in solid teak wood and veneer this wall unit seamlessly blends into various interior styles. The unit features a combination of open shelves that come in different depths, one of them working as desk, two closed cabinet boxes, a display case with two glas shelfs and one small chest of drawers providing ample storage space while maintaining a sleek and uncluttered appearance. The modular design allows for customization, making it adaptable to different room configurations and needs. This Vintage Poul Cadovius...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsGlass, Teak
- 1960s Shelving system, Poul CadoviusBy Poul CadoviusLocated in Neuss, NWClassic shelving system from the 1960s. The high-quality containers and shelves are veneered in teak. The system consists of 15 shelves, two containers with hinged doors, one contain...Category
Antique 1660s Danish Shelves
MaterialsTeak
$4,495 / item - Vintage Poul Cadovius Wall Unit, Mid-Century Modern Shelf Royal System, DenmarkBy Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in München, BavariaDimensions (Width x Depth x Height) ca. 240 x 40 / 50 x 203 cm Elevate your living space with this vintage mid-midcentury modern Poul Cadovius Royal System Wall Unit, a true masterpiece of Scandinavian design. Crafted by the iconic Danish designer Poul Cadovius in the 1950s, the Royal System is celebrated for its versatility, functionality, and timeless aesthetic. Crafted in solid teak wood and veneer this wall unit seamlessly blends into various interior styles. The unit features a combination of open shelves that come in different depths, of one them working as desk, a closed cabinet box and a display case with two glasses shelfs that are not shown in the images, providing ample storage space while maintaining a sleek and uncluttered appearance. The modular design allows for customization, making it adaptable to different room configurations and needs. This Vintage Poul Cadovius Royal System...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsTeak, Glass