Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Morrison Portrait Young Woman Emma Collar Pittsburgh PA
Antique Cabinet Card E.W. Wiley Woman Ruffled Tiered Dress Olean NY
Antique Cabinet Card H Noss Distinguished Elderly Man Beard New Brighton PA
Antique Cabinet Card Kellogg Two Young Children Baby Boy Chair Reedsburg WI
Antique Cabinet Card Crawford Woman Brooch Lace Collar Dark Dress Morris IL
Antique Cabinet Card Young Man Short Bangs Hairstyle Pattern Bowtie Three Piece
Antique Cabinet Card Arthur & Philbric Victorian Couple Detroit MI
Antique Cabinet Card John D. Lemer Woman Updo Hair Pocket Watch Harrisburg PA
Antique Cabinet Card S. Swaine Little Boy Dark Suit Photograph Rochester NH
Antique Cabinet Card J.H. Reed Woman High Collar Tie Earring Clinton IA
Antique Cabinet Card Metcalf Welldon Woman Braided Hair Lace Jabot Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Ferguson Woman Lace Ruffle Collar Portrait Clinton IA
Antique Cabinet Card Foley Young Boy Lace Collar Velvet Suit Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Handel Boy Lloyd Cooper Travis Fauntleroy Suit Brooklyn NY
Antique Cabinet Card F.S. Bells Elderly Couple Husband Wife Bellefonte Pa Photo
Antique Cabinet Card Holland Woman Embroidered Dress Collar Brooch Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Handsome Young Man Mustache Striped Tie Double Breasted
Antique Cabinet Card M.W. Walsh Toddler Girl Coat Purse Studio Mt Carmel PA
Antique Cabinet Card Jennie Smith Young Victorian Woman Newark Asbury Park NJ
Antique Cabinet Card Elliott Elderly Woman Lace Collar Portrait Columbus OH
Antique Cabinet Card Elliott & Armstead Young Woman Portrait Columbus OH
Antique Cabinet Card Hastings Woman Portrait Lace Collar Earring Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card McFadden Handsome Young Man Bust Portrait Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Astrom Young Woman Lace Collar Brooch Boston MA
Cabinet cards are larger albumen photographs mounted on thicker, often decorated card stock. First offered in London in 1863 and reaching American studios by 1866, they were dominant from the 1880s through the early 1900s — the ‘Golden Age’ of the cabinet card runs roughly 1870 to 1895 — and continued in declining numbers into the 1920s.
HistoryOrigin & era
Cabinet cards offered the same albumen process as CDVs but at a size more flattering to detailed studio work. By the 1880s mounts grew elaborate — gold edges, embossed studio logos, chromolithographed backs. The format faded sharply after Eastman Kodak's 1900 Brownie put cameras in everyone's hands; few cabinet cards date after 1906, and the last were produced in the early 1920s.
IdentificationHow to spot a Cabinet Card
- Mount roughly 4¼ × 6½ inches.
- Heavier card stock than a CDV, often with rounded corners and gold or beveled edges.
- Photographer's imprint usually on the front below the photo, with elaborate logos on the back.
- Plain pale mounts are earlier (1870s); dark green, black, and gilt mounts are 1880s–1890s.
Cabinet Card sizes
Standard cabinet cards are remarkably consistent, but several larger "deluxe" formats were sold by the same studios.
| Format | Inches | Millimeters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cabinet card | 4¼ × 6½ in | 108 × 165 mm | Universal mount size. |
| Cabinet print on mount | ≈ 3¾ × 5½ in | ≈ 95 × 140 mm | Photo trimmed to fit with a narrow border. |
| Promenade | 4 × 7 in | 102 × 178 mm | Taller variant, popular 1875–1900. |
| Boudoir | 5¼ × 8½ in | 133 × 216 mm | Larger format for full-length portraits. |
| Imperial | 6⅞ × 9⅞ in | 175 × 251 mm | Largest of the cabinet-family mounts. |
| Panel | 4 × 8 in | 102 × 203 mm | Narrow, full-length portrait format. |
Common questions
What is a cabinet card?
A cabinet card is a Victorian-era portrait photograph — an albumen print mounted on a heavy card roughly 4¼ × 6½ inches. First offered in London in 1863 and arriving in American studios by 1866, cabinet cards were the standard portrait format from about 1880 through the early 1900s and continued in declining numbers into the 1920s.
How do I date a cabinet card?
Mount color and decoration are the best clues: pale buff or cream stock with a simple imprint is 1870s; dark gray or maroon with gold edges is mid-1880s; deep green, black, or chocolate brown with ornate gilt lettering is 1890s. Beveled edges with gold appear around 1885.
What are cabinet cards worth?
Generic studio portraits typically run $5–$20. Cards depicting identified subjects, occupational scenes, ethnographic subjects, post-mortem photography, or well-known photographers can range from $50 to several hundred dollars. Condition, sharpness of the print, and subject interest matter more than age.
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