Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s New York Gallery Lady in Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Otto Lewin Gorgeous Old Lady Fancy Dress New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s E.W. Bogardus Cute Baby NY In Chair
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s S.A. Bowers Handsome Man with Mustache Concord NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Louis Blaul Man with Mustache Suit Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.D. Dow Cute Baby In Dress Manchester NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ulrich Cute Baby in Gown Selinsgrove PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Evans & Balsiger Gorgeous Lady Centralia Ill.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Derstine Husband and Wife Elegant Lewistown PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lay Gorgeous Lady In Dress Hoboken NJ
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Wm. Spiess Gorgeous Lady In Dress New York NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L. Blaul Handsome Young Man In Suit Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Darnell Handsome Young Man With Bow Tie Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Family Man with Mustache Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Sattler Mother and Daughter St. Paul Minn
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Carlson Young Lady In Dress West Superior WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Gorgeous Lady In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Nealey Gorgeous Lady In Hat Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bremer Handsome Man with Mustache Ilion NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hardy Old Lady In Dress Boston Massachusetts
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Baker Young Lady In Dress Columbus Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Family Man Woman and Child Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ritz Gorgeous Lady In Dress Boston MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Pach Bros Old Lady In Dress New York 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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