Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Man Grant Fassett Suit Vest Polka Dot Tie
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s William Brehlke Mustache Suit Pomerania Germany
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J N Hobbs Family Portrait Puffed Sleeves Robert
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Robertson Bros Couple Man Woman Pontiac IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wilke Young Man Three Piece Suit Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo W Thomas Man Suit Vest Chain Ottumwa IA IA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Slocum Woman White Ruffle Dress Austin Minn
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Butterfield Handsome Man Mustache Pasadena Cal
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s G. W. May Victorian Woman Lace Anaheim Cal
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1900s Hoffmann Studio Woman High Lace Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1900s E M Atkins Annie Schrader Oval Chicago IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1900s Woman Lace Collar Gibson Girl Hair Chicago
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1900s Young Man Suit Boutonniere Dark Mount Portrait
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Three Young Children Swivel Chair Joes Boys
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Johnsen & Faught Young Girl Lexington KY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Fox & Symons Young Child Salt Lake City UT
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Johnson Woman Full Length White Cumberland WIS
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Family Portrait Mother Father Standing Baby
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Grace Christine Henry Baby White Gown Wicker
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Victorian Couple Seated Man Woman Spectacles
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Group Outdoor Men Women Fashion Hats Umbrella
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H. J. Newcomb Woman Leg Of Mutton Sleeves
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Myrtle Mosher Elsie Sisters Girls Plaid Dresses
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Line Young Man Bow Tie Vest Watch Carlisle PA
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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