Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD FOX CUTE BABY IN WHITE DRESS SIOUX FALLS SOUTH DAKOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD KELLEY SIX YOUNG LADIES IN DRESSES LINCOLN NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD JENSON CUTE LITTLE GIRL IN WHITE DRESS SIOUX FALLS S.D.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD LESCHINSKY MEN WITH MUSTACHES GRAND ISLAND NEBRASKA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD HANDSOME BEARDED MAN STANDING OUTSIDE HOUSE UNMARKED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD IDEAL CUTE LITTLE GIRL WITH BELL MILWAUKEE MINNESOTA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD HART TRAIN STEAM ENGINE TRAIN STATION BROWERVILLE MINN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WOOD LODGE COVERED IN SNOW ICECLES WINTER DOG OUT FRONT
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D.R. Kellogg Cute Girl In Dress Reedsburg Wis
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D.R. Kellogg Cute Girl In Dress Reedsburg WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Vaughan & Whitfield Old Man In Suit Bournemouth UK
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.S. Fritz Lady In Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Mitchell Handsome Man In Suit Kansas City MO
C. 1890s CABINET CARD JENSON MAN POSING WITH HIS HARP SIOUX FALLS SOUTH DAKOTA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Siegfried Handsome Man with Mustache PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s B. Lochman Handsome Man With Mustache PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Rishel Old Bearded Man In Suit Lehighton PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Brainerd Old Lady Wearing Bonnet Unknown
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Van Slyke Lady In Dress Mason Michigan
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ryder Bearded Man In Suit Cleveland Ohio
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SWAN & COBB HUSBAND & WIFE COUPLE NORWAY MAINE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s D. Garber Handsome Man with Mustache NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unmarked Old Ladies Wearing Elegant Dresses
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.L. Clark Handsome Man with Mustache CA
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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