Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
1880s CABINET CARD DOREMUS WHITE LADIES IN JAPANESE GEISHA CLOTHING PATERSON NJ
1890s CABINET CARD BUGBEE CUTE LITTLE GIRLS WITH SNOW SLEDS CHRSITMAS WILTON NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Smith Husband Wife In Dress Suit Montgomery PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s T.W. Grumman Husband and Wife Smithfield Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Old Lady With Glasses Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Bangs Husband and Wife Couple Broken Bow NE
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Palmquist Lady In Dress St. Paul Minnesota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.L. May Young Lady with Bowtie Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unmarked Young Man In Suit
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.C. Haring Gorgeous Lady Massillon OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.D. Adams Gorgeous Lady In Dress Fremont Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gorgeous Lady In Lace Collar Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Garrard Family La Salle Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s A.A. Besaw Cute Child In Dress Bellefontaine OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s M.N. Sayles Gorgeous Lady In Lace New York NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Cute Baby In White Gown Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gorgeous Children In Fancy Dresses Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. W. Wise Old Lady Janesville Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Boys In Suits Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Lady In Dress Unknown Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Paine Young Boy in Plaid Bow Jackson MI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.N. Howe Cute Girl In Dress Forest Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Harbeck Young Man In Suit Pawtucket RI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Gorgeous Lady In Dress Unmarked
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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