Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Ogden Two Young Girls So Manchester Conn
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J D Byerly Woman Seated Victorian Frederick MD
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Moll's Studio Mother Spectacles Two Lansdale PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Thompson Bearded Man Bow Tie Cameron MO
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s S A Bowers Handsome Newport NH Concord
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J D Byerly Seated Woman Victorian Frederick MD
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Heberger & Schreiner Handsome Man Rochester NY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Heisler Little Girl Sitting Chair Bangor PA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Young Couple Oval Portrait Man Mustache Ruffled
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Bothwell Young Woman Portrait Kendallville in
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Gault Handsome Mustache Man Suit Tie Ionia
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s W A Johnson Woman Seated Holding Theresa NY
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s E R Tenny Couple Victorian Des Moines IA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Thomson Handsome Man Mustache Kansas KS City MO
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Goodrich Young Woman Plaid North Adams Mass
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Townley Handsome Man Mustache Bow Tie Newton NJ
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Immke Handsome Man Mustache Tie Princeton IL
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s W. G. Spiker Andy Conner Mustache Man Scio OH
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Quinn Beard Man Oval Suit Portrait Conway MA
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Lincoln Gallery Young Woman Pipestone MN
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J.H. Smith Woman Victorian Dress Newark NJ
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Peerless Photo CO Elderly Woman Elmira N.Y.
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s Towles Junior Three Young Women Cumberland MD
Antique Cabinet Card Circa 1860s J. D. Strunk Annie Backenstose Reading PA
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 →