Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Roshon Handsome Young Man In Suit Lebanon PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s O'Dwyer Handsome Man in Suit New York NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.W. Hagen Husband and Wife Monticello Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Kottmann Handsome Man In Suit Altoona PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Clark Gorgeous Lady Streator Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Children in Fancy Dresses Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Elliott Handsome Man with Mustache Columbus Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.W. Colby Handsome Man with Mustache NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Davis & Howard Cute Child In Dress Boston
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. E. Everett Handsome Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fredricks Cute Baby Fancy Dress New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.L. Munroe Cute Child In Dress Muncy Pennsylvania
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.M. Atherton Handsome Man in Suit Salina Kansas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ertle Children In Fancy Attire Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Strauss Gorgeous Lady Elegant Lace St Louis
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s McElhose Handsome Man In Suit Primghar Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Desclos Bros Man with Mustache Manchester NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Strunk Cute Children In Dresses Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s (Unknown) Family Elegant Outdoor Portrait Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Frey Gorgeous Lady In Dress Scranton PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lloyd Handsome Man In Suit Hartford CT
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.S. Roshon Cute Boy In Suit Lebanon Pennsylvania
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.B. Loomis Bearded Man Children Galesburg IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A. M. Bailey Cute Baby in Dress Lima 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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