Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
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 Card Circa 1890s S.M. Wentworth Handsome Man with Mustache NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Handsome Man with Mustache in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.C. Winsor Cute Baby in Dress Olean NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s P.B. Wister Handsome Bearded Man Buffalo NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lovingfoss Handsome Man with Mustache Pontiac IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Richardson Handsome Man with Mustache WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Cute Girl In Fancy Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bennett Young Man with Mustache In Suit Pontiac IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Nason Cute Children Buffalo New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hulbert Old Bearded Man In Suit Armada Mich
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Empire Art Old Lady In Dress New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Taylor & Preston Bearded Man In Suit Salem MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s M. Strunk Old Lady In Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Family Group In Woods Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Alman Man with Mustache Holding Hat New York
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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