Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.C. Langlois Husband and Wife Winooski VT
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Chas. A. Saylor Handsome Man In Suit Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Hargrave Handsome Young Man In Suit New York
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. W. Wise Lady In Dress Janesville Wisconsin
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.E. Sparrow Handsome Man In Suit Phoenix NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s New York Gallery Baby In Dress Reading PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s W.E. Sparrow Handsome Man In Suit Phoenix NY
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s E.G. Langlois Husband and Wife Winooski VT
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Bradley Young Boy In Suit Dayton Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Family In Elegant Attire Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s N. Green Young Lady In Dress West Salem Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W.H. Baker Handsome Man in Suit Saratoga Springs
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Otto & Neubert Handsome Man In Suit Kittanning PA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s J.H. Peters Cute Children San Francisco CA
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s T. Sefke Cute Baby In Dress Wooster Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Frau Young Handsome Man In Suit Middlebury VT
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Unknown Gorgeous Lady in Elegant Gown Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s A. & G. Taylor Gorgeous Lady In Dress Philadelphia
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s S.P. Greisamer Family Quakertown Pennsylvania
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s V.J. Williams Gorgeous Lady Chicago Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s W. Carson Young Lady In Hat Danville Illinois
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Old Lady Fancy Collar Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s F.J. Buckmyer Old Lady In Dress Columbus Ohio
Cabinet Card Circa 1880s Young Boy In Suit With Hat 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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