Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Huelschen Three Young Ladies Pt. Washington WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.H. Wolfe Handsome Men In Suits Lebanon PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gurley Bearded Man In Suit Utica NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Alfred Bokelund Handsome Man Helsingborg
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Sweetser Handsome Man With Mustache Lynn MA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Lovejoy Handsome Man with Mustache New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Huelschen Handsome Man with Mustache WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Anderson Bros Family Minneapolis Minnesota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R.B. McAlfrey Handsome Man with Mustache Suit NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.R. Dow Old Man In Suit Lyons NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Strunk Handsome Man with Mustache Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Strunk Handsome Man with Mustache In Suit Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.W. Pach Bearded Man In Suit New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Roshon Bearded Man in Suit Lebanon PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.J. Ostrom Handsome Man with Mustache Winthrop
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Th. Anderson Bros Family Minneapolis Minnesota
CIRCA 1870s CABINET CARD ARTISTIC GORGEOUS NUDE LADY GREEK STYLE FLOWERS
CIRCA 1880s CABINET CARD SARONY THEATER ACTOR IN COSTUME ROBES NEW YORK
1899 CABINET CARD S.E. TURVILLE PHOTOGRAPHERS ADVERTISING CALENDAR PHOTOS WIS.
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM NATAL SOUTH AFRICA RARE!
CIRCA 1900s CABINET CARD MERRILL EARLY AUTOMOBILE CAR REPAIR SHOP DEALERSHIP
CIRCA 1910s CABINET CARD AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN PHOTORGRAPHY UNIT REPAIRING CAMERAS
1895 CABINET CARD SPARKS IOWA SOLDIERS HOME ADVERTISEMENT MARSHALLTOWN IOWA
CIRCA 1890s CABINET CARD THREE LITTLE CHEERFUL GIRLS AND THEIR PET CAT LOVELY
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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