Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. R. Hillborn Handsome Man In Suit Grand Island NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Leschinsky Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Grand Island
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Poe & Woods Girls in Dresses Lincoln Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H. Chabiss Handsome Man With Mustache New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Leschinsky Handsome Man with Mustache NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hayn Cute Baby In Dress Omaha Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Leschinsky Man with Mustache Grand Island NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Leschinsky Lady In Dress Grand Island NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Leschinsky Children Fancy Dress Grand Island
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Waltermire Gorgeous Lady In Dress Lincoln NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hayn Cute Baby Omaha Nebraska
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. F. Kilborn Young Gorgeous Lady Grand Island Nebraska
C. 1880s CABINET CARD SWAN GORGOEUS LADY WITH STACK OF CABINET CARDS NORWAY ME.
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD FAMILY SITTING OUTSIDE FANCY CLOTHING UNMARKED
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ST. JOHN LADIES HOLDING BOOK AND PURSE HARTFORD CONN.
C. 1880s CABINET CARD HORMING OLD BEARDED MUSLIM MAN WEARING FEZ PHILADELPHIA PA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD ELINGER GORGEOUS YOUNG LADY HAND-TINTED DES MOINES IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD KOPKE LITTLE GIRL HOLDING HOOP & STICK GAME BROOKLYN NY
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD MOCK CUTE GIRLS FIRST COMMUNION NEXT TO CABINET CARD NY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MOMMA PIG NURSING PIGLETS ON FARM LAYING IN HAY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD SMALL TOWN CHURCH AND STEEPLE UNMAKRED
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CUTE BABY OUTSIDE IN STROLLER NEXT TO CAT
C. 1880s CABINET CARD SCHUMACHER TWO MEN IN FANCY WHITE SMOKING CIGARS NEWARK NJ
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Allen Husband and Wife In Suit Naples NY
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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