Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Hoover Husband and Wife Oak Harbor Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s McAdam Bearded Man In Suit Genoa Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s R.R. Haug Gorgeous Lady In Dress Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.M. McClure Couple In Dress Dayton Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Stoddard Cute Baby In Dress New Haven Conn
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s C.S. Roshon Husband Wife Lebanon PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s U. Horlin Handsome Man With Suit Columbus OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Temple Cute Baby In Dress Clinton Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Geo. J. Schaefer Boy in Suit Rochester NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Wm. S. Ainsbaugh Cute Baby In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Huff Gorgeous Lady Elegant Dress Newark NJ
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s John D. Strunk Young Handsome Man In Suit
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Pausch Young Lady In Velvet Dress Newark OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s John D. Kemer Handsome Man in Suit Harrisburg PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s G. Bailey Gorgeous Lady In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s John D. Kemer Handsome Man In Suit Harrisburg PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Hewitt Old Lady In Dress Salem Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Cute Baby In Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Husband and Wife in Formal Attire Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s New York Gallery Handsome Man In Suit Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s L.R. Evans Handsome Young Man Binghamton NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s French Cute Child in Plaid Dress Binghamton NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J. Huedschen Gorgeous Lady Fancy Dress Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Robinson Man with Mustache Baltimore MD
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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