Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD THE FIVE PRINCES OF PRUSSIA CABINET CARD MUNICH
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD WILHELM II THE LAST EMPEROR OF GERMANY & FAMILY BERLIN
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD BERTHAUD FELIX FAURE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE PARIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD PRINCE EITEL FRIEDRICH OF PRUSSIA BERLIN GERMANY
C. 1870s CABINET CARD KAISER WILHELM II THE LAST EMPEROR OF GERMANY IN UNIFORM
C. 1890 CABINET CARD BRADLEY RULOFSON MAN WITH MUSTACHE SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD MAN ON HORSE-DRAWN SLED OUTSIDE OLD WEST SMALL TOWN
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD F.M. PSKSEN LITTLE GIRL RIDING HORSE ON FARM CASEY IOWA
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD MODEL HORSE OF THE WORLD WEIGHED 2740 POUNDS! RARE!
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD A.B. PETERSON MEN ABOUT TO FIGHT STEWARSVILLE MINNESOTA
C. 1890s CABINET CARD MOORE SKINNER CHILDREN HOLDING TOY RIFLES ARCOLA ILLINOIS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SARONY MR. FRANK LANGLEY AS HORATIO TIBBETTS IN BRASS
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD T. YASHIDA CHILDREN IN FORMAL ROBES KURUME JAPAN
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD REVEREND HENRY McPAKE PRIEST WHO BURIED H.H. HOLMES
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD H. WILBUR AFRICAN AMERICAN LADY IN FANCY DRESS NEW YORK
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD K.E. WASHBURN YOUNG MAN IN SUIT WITH BIKE BUFFALO MINN.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD MAN IN HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE OUTSIDE HOUSE DETAILED
1868 CABINET CARD ADELER YOUNG THEATER ACTORS PRINCE & PRINCESS WIEN GERMANY
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD BIEDERMANN GROUP OF YOUNG THEATER ACTORS WELS AUSTRIA
1889 CABINET CARD STEWART HANDSOME AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN ALLEGHENY PENNSYLVANIA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD NEMECK BOY RIDING PONY GHOST-PRINT CHICAGO ILLINOIS
C. 1880s CABINET CARD AFTERMATH OF TORNADO THAT TORE THROUGH HOUSE GRINELL IOWA
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD JOHN H. RYDER HANDSOME YOUNG SOLDIER CLEVELAND OHIO
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD CUTE LITTLE GIRL WITH JACK RUSSEL TERRIER DOG
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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