Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD A.E. JOHNSON CUTE BOY IN DRESS OAKES NORTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD A.E. JOHNSON GORGEOUS LADY IN DRESS OAKES NORTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD A.DE NEUVILLE "THE LAST CARTRIDGES" FRANCO PRUSSIAN WAR
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD J. DIXON GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY IN DRESS TORONTO CANADA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD ROCKWOOD HANDSOME OLD BEARDED MAN BROADWAY NEW YORK
C. 1880s CABINET CARD TWO YOUNG BOYS TAMBOURINE CATTAILS MEDALS PHOTO IN PHOTO
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BAY STATE YOUNG CHILDREN STROLLER SAXONVILLE MASS.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD WARREN DR. SAMUEL ELLIOT ABOLITIONIST CIVIL WAR SOLDIER
1899 CABINET CARD FLOODED HOUSE TOWN SCHLADMING AUSTRIA DACHSTEIN ALPS
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lindqvist Handsome Man with Mustache Alexandria
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Leavitt & Keene Old Bearded Man Mankato Minnesota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fred Palmer Handsome Man with Mustache Minneapolis
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s M.E. Manley Handsome Man with Mustache VT
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Anderson Handsome Man in Suit Wahoo Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fredricks Man with Mustache New York NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D.A. Fox Handsome Man with Mustache Capac
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Roche Gorgeous Lady In Dress Louisville KY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hammer Handsome Man In Suit St. Louis MO
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lawin Old Bearded Man In Suit Waseca Minnesota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Orville Johnson Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Taber Lady and Cute Child San Francisco CA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fredricks Gorgeous Lady In Dress New York NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Louis Hess Handsome Man with Mustache NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Two Children with Lace Collars Unmarked
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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