Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s P.H. Rose Handsome Man with Mustache Providence R.I.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C. Lynn Harris Handsome Man In Suit Emporia KS
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.D. Elwell Handsome Man with Mustache Danvers MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.H. Meyer Handsome Man with Mustache Cincinnati
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Merell Handsome Man With Mustache Ionia MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Burgener Young Lady In Dress Harper Kansas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Dempster Husband Wife Couple Beatrice NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Henry Heinen Family Norwood Minnesota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Luck & Dye Old Bearded Man Oshkosh WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Shadle & Busser Old Bearded Man York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s N.A. Lesure Handsome Man with Mustache Danbury CT
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L. Meile Young Lady In Fancy Dress Boulder CO
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L. Menz Gorgeous Lady Striped Bow Boulder CO
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Young Handsome Women In Fancy Dress
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ferguson Young Man With Hat Clinton Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s McDonald Lady With Short Hair South Bend IN
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s S. Bowen Bravery Man with Mustache Cardiff
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.P. Overland Husband and Wife Fergus Falls MN
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.E. Moinay Handsome Man with Mustache
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s F.A. Coyle Handsome Man with Mustache Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Thibodeau Handsome Man with Suit Minneapolis
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wollensak Handsome Man with Mustache Milwaukee
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R. Fenwick Handsome Man with Mustache in Suit
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.B. Wilson Handsome Man with Mustache Chicago
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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