Wall Unit Cado by Poul Cadovius

The seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.

About This Piece

Vintage Design

3-Bay teak wall unit, designed by Poul Cadovius and produced in his own Cado factory in Hillerød, Denmark, during the 1960’s. This is the special system with teak wooden supports under the shelves. The system consists of four original teak wood floating supports, a big 4-drawer cabinet, a storage cabinet with sliding doors and simple shelving inside. The 46 cm shelf makes for a comfortable small desk. There’s six shelves with a depth of 22 cm and a shelf of 25 cm. This whole wall unit is in very good condition. All elements got the ‘made in Denmark’ imprint on the back, a trademark for the Cado series. You can organise all elements differently or expand this system later on, as the Cado system is completely modular.

Originally trained as a saddler and upholsterer, Poul Cadovius (Denmark, 1911-2011) started working in traditional design. He later focused more on industrial design as he saw greater opportunities in this to innovate and impact modern life. His minimalist aesthetic is considered a perfect marriage between form and function. His style is industrial and organic, affordable and elegant, all at the same time.

“Most of us live on the bottom of a cube”, Poul Cadovius claimed. “If we put the walls even with the floor, we get a lot of space to live on” it was this idea that lead to the development of his revolutionary Royal wall unit system in 1948.This design was revolutionary in that it utilized wall-mounted brackets, allowing the shelves to “float” and maximizing available floor space. It was one of the first of its kind and set the stage for the modular furniture movement that would define the post-war era. The Royal System (1948) shelving unit went on to win the gold medal at the Finland Furniture Fair in 1950 and silver medal at the XI Triennale di Milano 1957 and remained a hallmark of midcentury modern design throughout the 1950s and ‘60s.

In the 1960’s Cadovius came up with another line of wall units: the Cado System, with wooden corners supporting the shelves instead of metal brackets. Since 1967 this luxurious line was produced in Cadovius own ‘Cado’ factory that he took over from France and Son. Although this was one of the first teak production facilities of industrial size in Denmark with over 300 employees, Cado became a household design name, and the company worked with some of the country’s most famous designers like Arne Vodder, Grete Jalk and Finn Juhl.Although his best-selling products were unmistakenly his wall units, Cadovius patented over 400 designs in his life, from dining chairs to polyester, mushroom-shaped bus stands. Cadovius passed away in 2011 at the age of 99, leaving us with a true legacy of beautiful Danish design.

Click here for full description Close description

Creator	Poul Cadovius
Manufacturer	Cado
Design Period	1960 to 1969
Production Period	1960 to 1969
Country of Manufacture	Denmark
Identifying Marks	This piece has been attributed based on archival documentation, such as vintage catalogs, designer records, or other literature sources
Style	Mid-Century, Industrial, Minimalist
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage/antique item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
Restoration and Damage Details	Patina consistent with age and use
Product Code	VNZ-2204004
Materials	Teak, Veneer
Color	Brown
Width	240 cm 240 cm
Depth	48 cm 48 cm
Height	203 cm 202.5 cm
Weight Range	Standard — Between 40kg and 80kg

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Belgium
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Delivery Options

Front Door Delivery: (Included in Every Order)	A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.
In-Home Delivery: (For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)	A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery.

Front Door Delivery:
(Included in Every Order)

A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below).
The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

In-Home Delivery:
(For in-home delivery service, additional fees apply. Please get in touch)

A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers.
The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.
Vintage	Choosing vintage and antique furniture reduces your carbon footprint by cutting down on waste and reduces demand for new materials and extends the life of the products we use.

About the Creator

Poul Cadovius

Danish designer and manufacturer Poul Cadovius was born in Frederiksberg in 1911. Originally 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. Shortly after, Cadovius had the revolutionary idea to design a floating, modular shelving system that would maximize floor space and signify the end of conformity in shelving. The Royal System (1948) shelving unit went on to win the gold medal at the Finland Furniture Fair in 1950 and silver medal at the XI Triennale di Milano 1957 and remained a hallmark of midcentury modern design throughout the 1950s and ‘60s.

Sometime between 1964 and 1967, Cadovius purchased the well-established furniture manufacturer France & Søn—credited with the industrialization of teak furniture production—and eventually 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. Pieces manufactured by CADO include Ditte & Adrian Heath’s 594 Dining Table and Chairs (1971), Steen Ostergaard’s Lounge Chair and Model 290 Chairs (1968), Ole Wanscher’s Senator Chair series (1960s), as well as a series of coffee tables in the 1960s by Cadovius that feature the use of aluminum, rosewood, and hand-painted designs by Susan Fjedldoe Mygge.

His minimalistic aesthetic is considered a perfect harmony between form and function—industrial and organic, affordable and elegant. Although the Royal System shelving unit was his main contribution to Danish modernism, Cadovius registered more than 400 patents throughout his long career, leaving behind a legacy that inspired many future designers.

Cadovius passed away in 2011 at the age of 99.

About the Maker

Cado

Given the popularity of vintage Cado shelving units and other pieces of furniture, it is surprising that so little information about the Danish manufacturer’s history survives.

Cado began as modernist furniture producer France & Søn, which was founded by British entrepreneur Charles W. France and Danish cabinetmaker Eric Daverkosen circa 1948 in Denmark (originally named France & Daverkosen after its founders). The company entered a new phase when successful Danish designer Poul Cadovius (1911-2011) took ownership sometime between 1964 and 1967. The iconic Senator Chair (1951) by Ole Wanscher—along with a number of designs by Grete Jalk, Finn Juhl, and Arne Vodder—continued to be produced by Cado into the late 1960s.

Cado is best remembered for the modular wooden wall units designed by Cadovius. Named Royal System, the space saving exemplar of Danish modernism dominates Cadovius's legacy, even as he patented approximately 400 designs in his lifetime. Unfortunately, there is no information as to what happened to the Cado business after the 1970s.