An exceptional and increasingly hard to find Danish ‘Royal System’ modular wall unit designed by Poul Cadovius for Cado in the 1960s.
One of the most iconic and influential modular systems of the mid century period, the Royal System perfectly captures everything that made Scandinavian design so forward thinking - beautifully balanced proportions, clever functionality, and an incredibly light architectural feel despite the sheer amount of storage on offer.
This particular example is especially good. A large four bay configuration in absolutely fantastic condition, with a beautifully rich warm teak tone throughout and a brilliant mix of cabinets, shelving, display and storage elements. The flexibility of the system means the layout can be completely reconfigured to suit your space, with shelves and cabinets adjustable across the uprights.
The combination of open shelving and closed storage gives it a really well balanced look visually – equally suited to displaying books, ceramics and artwork as it is hiding away records, paperwork, glassware and drinks bottles. It’s one of those systems that manages to feel both minimal and incredibly functional at the same time.
The drop front cabinets are particularly nice on this example. The desk section includes four beautifully detailed drawers and integrated letter holders, while the drinks cabinet retains its original bottle holder and internal drawers. The record cabinet still has its original dividers, and the sliding door cabinet includes a hanging file section alongside additional storage.
The craftsmanship throughout is exactly what you’d expect from Cadovius – finely shaped shelf brackets, beautifully matched teak grain, dovetailed drawers, sliding glass doors, and wonderfully engineered modular construction. Even the smaller details feel considered.
A genuinely special and very versatile piece of Danish mid century furniture that would work beautifully in a living room, dining space, studio or home office.
Comprises:
In fantastic vintage condition throughout with only very minor age related signs of use. A beautifully preserved example.
This piece has found its new home, but plenty of other one-of-a-kind finds await you. Discover similar pieces.
Cado was established in the mid-1960s when Danish designer and manufacturer Poul Cadovius purchased France & Søn, a well-established furniture manufacturer credited with industrialising teak furniture production in Denmark. Under Cadovius's ownership, Cado produced his revolutionary wall-mounted shelving systems - Royal System, System Ultra, and System Cado - alongside furniture designed by other prominent Danish designers including Ole Wanscher, Arne Vodder, Grete Jalk, Finn Juhl, and Sigvar Bernadotte. The company manufactured dining tables, chairs, lounge seating, and modular storage systems primarily in teak and rosewood throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Cado's production combined Cadovius's innovative space-saving concepts with traditional Danish craftsmanship, creating furniture that balanced functionality with mid-century modern aesthetics.
View all Cado products →
Free delivery on this item
Delivered within 10 days (Mainland England & Wales)
Delivery to Scotland: FreePlease allow approximately 2–3 weeks for delivery.
View full delivery policy →
We hope you'll love your purchase, but if for any reason you change your mind, you're welcome to return it.
Please contact us within 14 days of receiving your item to arrange a return. Items must be sent back in their original condition within 30 days of delivery. The buyer is responsible for return shipping costs.
Once we've received and checked the item, we'll issue a refund (excluding original delivery costs) via your original payment method.
If your item arrives damaged or there's an issue with your order, please get in touch within 48 hours of delivery.
View full returns policy →
Born in Frederiksberg, Denmark in 1911, Poul Cadovius trained as a saddler and upholsterer before establishing his furniture manufacturing company, Royal System, in 1945. Three years later, he designed the Royal System shelving unit, one of the world’s first wall-mounted modular furniture systems. The concept addressed a practical problem: heavy floor-based furniture consumed valuable living space in post-war Danish homes. By mounting shelves directly to walls using metal rails and brackets, Cadovius created adaptable storage that could be configured to suit any room. The Royal System won gold at the Finland Furniture Fair in 1950 and silver at the XI Triennale di Milano in 1957.
Cadovius expanded his shelving innovations with System Ultra in 1957 and System Cado in 1960, which incorporated wooden panels alongside rails and included tables, sofas, and beds. In the mid-1960s, he purchased the established Danish manufacturer France & Søn and renamed it Cado, using the company to produce both his own designs and furniture by other prominent Danish designers including Ole Wanscher, Arne Vodder, and Finn Juhl. An exceptional entrepreneur and innovator, Cadovius registered over 400 patents throughout his career. He continued developing furniture designs into his later years and died in 2011 at age 99. The Royal System was relaunched by dk3 in 2010 and remains in production today.
My beautiful bentwood ply nest of tables arrived today. Sympathetically restored, and looking even better than they did in the pictures. What an amazing little company, a pleasure from start to finish, making everything so easy. What Speedy delivery, and impeccably packaged. I shall definitely be perusing your collection of quality items for future purchases. We'll deserved 5 stars!
Andy
Nest of 3 Mid Century Bentwood Plywood tables
We purchased a beautiful nathan circles mid century sideboard in teak. Exactly as described, it really is a stunning piece. We are so happy with it. Great communication with the seller and fast delivery by a lovely courier.
Carla
Mid Century Teak Sideboard by Vanson
1920’s Haberdashery Unit purchased and arrived exactly as advertised. Sallie-Ann was extremely helpful with the buying process and great communication throughout, a delight to deal with. Highly recommend &VNTG. Thank you and the unit looks amazing!!
Andrew
Large Vintage Oak Haberdashery Unit / Bank of Drawers
Subscribe to receive 10% off your first order. Hear about new stock, special offers, sales & latest news.
Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyse our traffic. By clicking "Accept", you consent to our use of cookies.