Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Robinson Young Girl In Dress New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Appelquest Young Man in Suit Middletown Conn
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ralph H. Wilde Bearded Man Milwaukee
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gorgeous Lady In Fine Dress, Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s S.W. Bowser Man with Boy in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F.T. Castle Gorgeous Lady In Dress Washington DC
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Grouvelle Handsome Man with Mustache Melbourne
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ayer Gorgeous Lady Wrapped East Boston
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. Blissenbach Handsome Man In Suit Mankato MN
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.F. Snodgrass Man with Mustache Astoria OR
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.W. Replogle Handsome Man with Mustache Walnut PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hayden Old Lady With Glasses Leeds Maine
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.C. Lovejoy Handsome Man with Mustache Trenton NJ
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s V.W. Grumman Cute Child In Dress Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Jnh. E. Krügeloh Old Man with Mustache Mannheim DE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Curtiss Bearded Man In Suit Syracuse NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lloyd Man with Mustache Troy NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Cute Young Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Leas Cute Child in Gown Lancaster PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. A. Lenzi Old Bearded Man Norristown PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Shadle Bearded Man in Suit York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Legrave Young Boy In Suit Boston MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.W. Grigs Gorgeous Lady In Hat Topeka Kansas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Russell & Co. Handsome Man with Mustache Baltimore
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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