Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Kauffman Three Children York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.M. Lease Young Couple In Elegant Attire PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s N.T. Morse Family Birmingham Connecticut
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Husband and Wife Romantic Couple
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Howard Handsome Man in Suit Altoona PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lenhart Young Lady With Bow Allentown PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s S.B. Hoffmeier Young Lady Fancy Dress Easton PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.D. Strunk Lady In Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.H. KlineUrst Gorgeous Lady In Dress Bethlehem PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fowler Gorgeous Lady In Dress Lancaster PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.M. Walker Husband Wife Romantic Couple
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Urlin Cute Child In Bow Columbus Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G. Outhier Handsome Man In Suit Marseille
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Morris Young Girl With Glasses Pittsburgh PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.P. Coland Young Lady In Dress Grand Forks ND
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W. Boyce Lady In Dress Danville Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Tomlinson Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Elmira NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Mell Cress Gorgeous Lady In Dress Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Jno. Ashley Husband and Wife Liverpool
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Man with Mustache Striped Tie Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Godfrey Cute Baby In Gown Olean NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Winsor & Whipple Gorgeous Lady Olean NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.S. Fritz Gorgeous Lady In Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W.F. Ferguson Husband Wife Clinton Iowa
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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