Wall Unit by Poul Cadovius for Royal Copenhagen, 1960

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. 

The Royal Copenhagen brand was founded as the Royal Danish Porcelain Manufactory in 1775 by chemist Frantz Heinrich Müller (1738-1820), under the protection of Denmark’s Queen Juliane Marie. Like all monarch-sponsored porcelain workshops initiated in countries around Europe in the 18^th century (e.g. Meissen, Sèvres, Wedgewood), Royal Copenhagen products were intended to compete in the market for expertly crafted Chinese imports, which were wildly popular among European aristocracy at the time. When Müller discovered a Danish source for kaolin, the crucial ingredient in fine, hard-paste porcelain, the Queen seized the opportunity to contribute to her local economy (as well as her international status) and awarded Müller a 50-year monopoly on porcelain production in Denmark.

Royal Copenhagen’s signature Blue Fluted pattern—the cobalt blue-on-white scrolling floral motif—was developed from the outset under Müller’s direction to imitate the stylized chrysanthemums found on Chinese imports, as well as the look of Meissen porcelain (the first true porcelain produced in Europe). This collection and its variants continue to be the brand’s bestseller today. Other iconic works from Royal Copenhagen’s production include the Flora Danica service (1790-1803), which feature polychrome plants and flowers inspired by the botanical encyclopedia of the same name and originally made for Catherine II of Russia; and, more recently, the modernist Blue Line dinnerware collection developed by architect-designer Grethe Meyer in 1965. 

In nearly 250 years, the Royal Copenhagen brand has produced over 1,500 pattern variations on high-quality porcelain and faience cups, mugs, jugs, bowls, plates, tea sets, and more, typically employing highly skilled artisans and, since the 20^th century, collaborating with talented designers. The production procedure for each piece has evolved since the early days, but it still takes a few months to complete each set. The process starts with a delicate model produced by a 3D printer and then perfected by hand. This first sculpture is then used to make the final mold by a computerized milling machine; a porcelain liquid is then carefully poured into this and embellished with handles and decorations. Lastly, the unique artwork is hand-painted before it is glazed and fired at nearly 1375°C.

Over time, Royal Copenhagen has passed hands from succeeding Danish sovereigns to the Aluminia faience company in 1882, and later in the 20^th century incorporating with other Danish applied arts specialists like Georg Jensen, Holmegaard Glassworks, and Bing & Grøndahl. It’s now a subsidiary of Fiskars. The brand’s identifying stamps have also changed over time, but have consistently included three elements: three wavy lines symbolizing the Øresund, the Great Belt, and the Little Belt waterways in Denmark, the crown emblem representing the traditional royal patronage, and the individual artist’s signature marks.