Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Frank Gleason Gorgeous Lady In Dress Ware MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s New York Gallery Handsome Man Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Gillmore Cute Baby in Dress Rockville CT
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s William Jessen Gorgeous Lady with Fan Pittsburgh
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s G.M. Bolton Handsome Man In Suit Rockville CT
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s B.W.T. Phreaner Young Lady Hagerstown MD
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s John D. Strunk Handsome Man with Mustache Reading
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Girls Fancy Dresses Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s John D. Strunk Bearded Man Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Atwood Cute Baby In Dress Georgetown Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Reed & Preble Brothers Brunswick Maine
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W.H. Swihart Handsome Man Suit West Salem OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Simon Children In Formal Attire Akron NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Richardson Lady In Dress Leominster MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Lee Gorgeous Lady Elegant Gown Phillipsburg NJ
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W. Meacham Lady in Dress Greenville PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Sutoroff Lady In Elegant Gown York PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Barton Cute Baby In Dress No Anson Maine
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s S.Y. Richard Old Bearded Man Suit Lititz PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s M. Wolfe Family in Formal Attire Dayton Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Morris Young Lady In Dress Pittsburgh PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Unmarked Handsome Man with Mustache In Suit
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Hoover Husband and Wife Oak Harbor Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Tice Old Lady In Dress Corry Pennsylvania
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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