Abstracta Modular Shelf by Poul Cadovius for Royal System Smoked Glass - 2 Pcs
About the Item
- Creator:Poul Cadovius (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 50.5 in (128.27 cm)Width: 24 in (60.96 cm)Depth: 24 in (60.96 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Late 20th Century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. A couple small chips and surface scratches to glass with examples pictured. Very good vintage condition being structurally sound with age appropriate signs of normal use as pictured. Overall very nice.
- Seller Location:Philadelphia, PA
- Reference Number:
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.
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Philadelphia, PA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- Mid-Century Modern Chrome Smoked Glass Étagère Bookcase Shelf Baughman StyleBy Milo BaughmanLocated in Philadelphia, PAVintage Mid-Century Modern chrome and smoked glass étagère bookcase shelf. Item features sleek chrome metal frame, five smoked glass shelves, clean modernist lines, circa 1970s. Meas...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsChrome
- Mid Century Modern Tubular Aluminum & Glass Chrome Etagere Shelf Milo BaughmanBy Milo BaughmanLocated in Philadelphia, PAVery unique vintage etagere in thick tubular aluminum with. 5" oval smoked glass shelves from the 1960s. Great Space Age form with nice lines.Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
MaterialsAluminum
- Mid Century Modern Lucite Glass Rosewood Etagere Shelf aftr Charles Hollis JonesBy Charles Hollis JonesLocated in Philadelphia, PAVintage Mid Century Modern Lucite, Glass, & Sculpted Rosewood Etagere attributed to Charles Holiis Jones. This remarkable bookshelf features seven glass shelves, thick lucite columns...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
MaterialsChrome
- Vintage Mid-Century Modern Brushed Aluminum Chrome Frame Étagère Display ShelfLocated in Philadelphia, PAVintage Mid-Century Modern brushed aluminum chrome frame étagère display shelf. Item features brushed aluminum metal frame, 5 smoked glass shelves, clean modernist lines, circa mid-2...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsMetal
- Antique American Industrial Wooden Rolling Shelf Storage Cart Distressed GrayLocated in Philadelphia, PAAntique American Industrial Wooden Rolling Shelf Storage Cart Distressed Gray Painted Finish. Item features solid wood construction, attractive weathered...Category
Early 20th Century Industrial Shelves
MaterialsIron
- Vintage Croquet Mallet Repurposed Wall Hook Hat Rack Shelf HolderLocated in Philadelphia, PAVintage Croquet Mallet repurposed wall hook hat rack shelf holder. Item features great for use as a rack of hat / coat hook, made from vintage croquet ...Category
Early 20th Century American Classical Shelves
MaterialsWood
- Poul Cadovius Teak Modular Freestanding Royal System Shelf, Danemark, 1960sBy Poul CadoviusLocated in Geneva, CHModular teak freestanding Royal System shelf by Poul Cadovius produced by Cado Denmark ca. 1960s - 1 drawers cabinet - 1 sliding doors cabinet - 1 secretary cabinet with woven door...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Shelves
MaterialsTeak
- Royal System Teak 2 Bay Shelf Unit by Poul CadoviusBy Royal System, Poul CadoviusLocated in Philadelphia, PAPoul Cadovius Royal Teak Shelf/ Wall System. Unit is made up of 1 drop down bar cabinet 31.5 wide, 15.5 deep and 16.75 tall. Unit has a basket weave front door and two dove-tailed ...Category
Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsMetal
- Poul Cadovius for Cado "Royal System" Modular Wall Shelve, circa 1948By Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in Barcelona, Barcelona'Royal System' wall shelve designed by Poul Cadovius, circa 1948. Manufactured by Cado in Denmark. In good original condition with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a beautiful patina. Materials: Wood Metal Dimensions: D 20.2 cm x W 60.5 cm x H 99 cm Poul Cadovius (1911-2011) was a Danish designer and manufacturer. Trained as a saddler and upholster, Cadovius became interested in industrial design and established his own furniture manufacturing company under the name of Royal Systems in 1945. Between 1964-1967, Cadovius purchased the well-established furniture manufacturer France & Søn and renamed the company Cado. Cadovius collaborated with the impressive roster of iconic Danish designers through France & Søn and Cado, including Sigvar Bernadotte, Grete Jalk, Arne Vodder, Edvard Kindt-Larsen, and Finn Juhl. His minimalistic aesthetic is considered a perfect harmony between form and function, industrial and organic, affordable and elegant. Although the Royal System shelving unit...Category
Vintage 1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Shelves
MaterialsMetal
- 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
- Poul Cadovius 'Abstracta' Metal, Teak, Glass Modular Display Unit, Denmark 1960By Royal System, Poul CadoviusLocated in bergen op zoom, NLMinimal 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...Category
Vintage 1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vitrines
MaterialsMetal
- Small Poul Cadovius Wall Unit, Mid-Century Shelf Royal System, DenmarkBy Poul Cadovius, CadoLocated in München, BavariaDimensions (Width x Depth x Height) ca. 82,5 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 teakwood, walnut and veneer this wall unit seamlessly blends into various interior styles. The unit features a combination of open shelves and a cabinet, 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
