Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s I.S. Tapley Handsome Man Lewiston ME
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Appelquest Handsome Man with Mustache Middletown CT
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s E.B. Core Handsome Man with Mustache Cincinnati OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s C.T. Yenni Gorgeous Lady In Earrings New Orleans
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Ervin Gorgeous Lady In Dress Newcomerstown OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Old Woman In Lace Collar Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s F. Folsom Old Bearded Man Danbury Connecticut
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Dettor & Waddell Bearded Man Bradford PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Leigh Handsome Man with Mustache PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Filson Man with Mustache In Suit Steubenville OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Bond Man with Mustache In Suit Chicago IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Old Bearded Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Proctor Husband and Wife Girard Kansas
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Simon Man with Mustache Suit Akron NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A.E. Lyon Gorgeous Lady In Dress Saginaw Michigan
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Moore Handsome Man with Mustache in Suit Mass.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Warren G. Foley Handsome Man with Mustache Boston
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Rice & Hinman Old Man In Suit Loudonville OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.A.W. Pittman Handsome Man in Suit Springfield IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Walker Handsome Man with Mustache Philad'a
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J. Coumbs Bearded Man in Suit Bath New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Monfort & Hill Old Bearded Man Burlington
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.E. Campbell Old Lady In Dress Attica IN
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s People's Photo Handsome Man in Suit Milwaukee WI
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.
Have Cabinet Cards to sell?
We buy cabinet card singly or by the lot. Send a few photos and we'll have an offer back in 24–48 hours.
Get an offer →