Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Andre Man Mustache Striped Bow Tie Pottstown PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s King Man Mustache Striped Suit Hagerstown MD
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s GA Goodrich Bearded Man Shelbyville Ind in
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J G Glenn Bearded Mature Man Portrait Mercer PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J. . Glenn Three Young Boys Lace Mercer PA.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Campbell Elderly Couple Beard Stoneboro PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J.H. Henning Man Suit Stone Johnstown PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s F Wm Weber Boy First Communion Rosary Erie PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s W. B. King Victorian Woman Hagerstown MD
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Haines Four Young Men Suits Ties Philipsburg PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s H W Brooks Handsome Man Suit Philadelphia PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s D. E. F. Photo CO Handsome Mustache Man Suit
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Chase Studio Toddler Girl White Earlville IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Bricker Handsome Young Man Cravat Osceola PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s A Rudolph Douglas Young Woman High Wigan UK
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Kruger Handsome Man Mustache Houtzdale PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Chase Studio Girl Patterned Dress Earlville IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Herbert Bell Elderly Woman Lace Ambleside UK
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s & R Lavis Two Distinguished Men Eastbourne UK
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Lawson Matthews Handsome Man Mustache Piqua OH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s T.S. Bell Handsome Man Mustache Huntingdon PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Elmer Chickering Man Mustache Glasses Boston MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Sullivan Lizzie Uhl Portrait Kendallville in
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Immke Three Young Sisters Plaid Princeton IL
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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