Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Vain Young Gorgeous Lady In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fleissner Cute Girl In Dress Johnstown PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Janson Handsome Man In Suit Milwaukee
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Frank A. Johnston Young Lady In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Nelson Young Gorgeous Lady With Fur Gladstone
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Art View Co. Cute Children Baltimore MD
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Cute Child In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gorham Cute Child in Dress Council Bluffs Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Sharpsteen Gorgeous Lady In Dress Grand Rapids MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Young Ladies In Fancy Dresses
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Powelson Handsome Man with Mustache Detroit MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Lady In Dress Wearing Hat Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Robbins Children In Fancy Attire Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bailey & Fuller Gorgeous Lady Rochester NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bailey & Fuller Man with Mustache Rochester NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bailey & Rosenfield Handsome Man in Suit NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Cross Bearded Man Handsome In Suit Boston
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hayden Handsome Man with Mustache Lowell
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Brand Man with Mustache in Suit Chicago
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Howard Handsome Man with Mustache Clearfield PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Colditz Handsome Man with Mustache Rochelle IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.P. Drew Bearded Man In Suit Dover NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Nickmott Gorgeous Lady In Fancy Dress Dover NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W. Menke Bearded Man in Suit Howard City MI
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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