Thursday, October 5, 2017

"Variations on a theme": Advertisement for Royal System


On the heels of Monday's post, here's another advertisement from the August 12, 1961, issue of The New Yorker. This one is touting Royal System, a mid-century shelving and furniture scheme that was designed by Denmark's Poul Cadovius (1911-2011) in 1948 and is described in the ad copy thusly: "Stack your stereo in wall furniture components of teak or walnut imported from Denmark. Compose your own arrangement (free-standing or suspended) of shelves, cabinets, desk and table units."

I think my variation on the theme would involve much more room for books. But you probably could have guessed that.

According to a 2014 article on Remodelista, the Royal System has had a bit of a renaissance. Julie Carson writes: "Margot and I spotted the recently reintroduced Royal System at Design Within Reach in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago and admired its sleek profile, handsome hardware, Danish attention to detail, and its versatility. ... The hangers come in raw brass (which is meant to patina over time) or stainless steel. The design is sold in parts and can be configured in myriad ways."

Cadovius focused on more than just shelving systems during his long career. He also designed this gorgeous table in the 1960s...

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