Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Choate Lady In Dress Carlisle Pennsylvania
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.N. Choate Lady In Dress Carlisle PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Unknown Gorgeous Lady In Fancy Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Z. Kauffman Handsome Man In Suit York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.N. Choate Lady in Dress Carlisle PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Nainby Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Gilbert A. Bacon Lady In Dress Philadelphia PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Ella L. Peck Young Lady In Dress Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Unknown Handsome Man in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s P.E. Chillman Gorgeous Lady In Dress Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Cute Baby In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A. Strauss Cute Child Fancy Gown Baltimore
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Davis Gorgeous Lady In Dress Worcester MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Koerner Cute Baby in Coat Sheboygan Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s H.B. Shaeffer Bearded Man Bellefonte PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A.J. Fisher Young Gorgeous Lady Towanda PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Lindenmuth Lady In Dress Allentown PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s M.L. Winkler Old Lady in Dress Glasses Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Musser Young Girl In Dress Harrisburg PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.G. Goebel Handsome Man in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Unknown Cute Baby In Fancy Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Straunk Cute Baby In Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Shadle & Busser Cute Baby in Gown York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Math Mattson Handsome Man In Suit Astoria Oregon
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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