Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Woods Handsome Man In Suit Lansford PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Husband and Wife Romantic Couple Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.E. Gerdom Handsome Man in Suit Lykens PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Colt Handsome Man In Suit Binghamton NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Fritz Children In Attire Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Husband and Wife Elegant Pose Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.M. Maurer Handsome Young Man In Suit Lykens PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Miller Cute Baby In Dress Minneapolis MN
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Ostrom Lady In Fancy Collar Winthrop Minnesota
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Shackford Cute Baby In Gown Farmington NH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Sackett Carlson Gorgeous Lady In Dress Sycamore IL
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gilmore Cute Children in Dresses Binghamton NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Cute Baby in Dress Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Howe Old Woman In Dress Chicago
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J. Huelschen Lady In Dress Pt. Washington WI
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Esmay Cute Child In Dress Sabula Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Mock Gorgeous Lady In Dress Rochester NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Unknown Handsome Young Man in Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s C.F. Turner Gorgeous Lady Janesville Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s R.H. Herbst Handsome Man In Suit Lebanon PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E. Mock Handsome Man In Suit Rochester NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s P. Hoffstad Handsome Man In Suit Chicago
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hitchcock & Horton Handsome Man In Suit Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Handsome Man In Suit 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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